Killed by militants, Aboh retains assembly seat

Tirong Aboh, the National Peoples Party (NPP) candidate who was gunned down by suspected NSCN militants, has retained the Khonsa West assembly constituency in Arunachal Pradesh.

Aboh, who was killed along with 10 others at 12 mile area in Tirap district on May 21, has defeated his lone rival Phawang Lowang of the BJP by 1055 votes as per results declared by the Election Commission Thursday.

This is the first time that NPP has entered the electoral scene of Arunachal Pradesh thanks to Aboh but its win will be shortlived as the EC will soon announce the mandatory by-poll in the seat.

Aboh was elected from the constituency in 2014 on Peoples Party of Arunachal (PPA) ticket.

He was on his way to Khonsa from Dibrugarh on the fateful day when the suspected Naga militants opened fire on his convoy consisting four vehicles and killed him along with his son and nine others. Among the dead were two police personnel, officials said.

Deputy Chief Electoral Officer Liken Koyu said that the Election Commission has to conduct by-election in the seat within six months as per rules.