Suspected militants kidnap forest service officer in Arunachal Pradesh

PUNE - Militants have kidnapped Vilas Bardekar, a senior Indian Forest Services (IFS) officer in Arunachal Pradesh’s West Kameng District.

Bardekar, who hails from Pune, was reportedly kidnapped on Thursday.

He had been to the Daimara Reserved Forest Region in West Kameng District of Arunachal to click pictures of butterflies.

Consequently, his relatives and close associates refused to disclose any details to the media as they said they have been advised not to comment or else it might turn fatal.

Bardekar, an IFS cadre of the 1984 batch, is posted as the Joint Director of Social Forestry in Maharashtra.

Security forces have launched a search operation. (ANI)