Daijiworld Media Network - Guwahati
Guwahati, Apr 29: In a significant counter-insurgency operation, three militants belonging to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN) were killed today during an encounter with security forces in Assam’s mountainous Dima Hasao district, according to official sources.
An Assam Police spokesman detailed that the encounter followed credible intelligence indicating the presence of armed cadres, who had previously issued an extortion notice to officials and engineers of the National Highways Authority of India (NHAI) in the Dima Hasao district. These militants were reportedly hiding in areas under the jurisdiction of the Haflong police station.
Responding to this information, a joint search operation was launched by Assam Police's Special Units and Assam Rifles on Saturday evening.
"Almost after 60 hours of search, on Monday, the search parties came across an armed group in the area between N Kubin-Hera Kilo. The armed militants fired on the security forces, who retaliated, and there was a heavy exchange of fire," the spokesman stated.
Subsequently, an extensive search of the area led to the discovery of three deceased militants, confirmed to be members of the NSCN. However, the specific faction of the NSCN to which they belonged is yet to be determined.
Security forces recovered two AK series rifles and a pistol from the forested area, and a search operation is currently ongoing.
This incident in Assam occurs within three days of another counter-insurgency success in neighboring Arunachal Pradesh. On April 27, three militants belonging to the NSCN-K-YA faction were killed in a fierce gun battle with security forces in the Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Defence spokesman Lt Col Amit Shukla had reported that two construction workers were kidnapped on April 25 from the Pangchao area in Longding district. Based on specific intelligence, troops of the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles launched a joint operation in the Pangchao area on Sunday. "Wherein the contact was established and in the ensuing firefight, three cadres of NSCN-KY-A group were neutralised," he said. One construction worker was rescued during the operation, and four automatic weapons, ammunition, and other war-like materials were recovered.
In a separate development, the Army and Assam Rifles, in coordination with the Assam Police, had earlier apprehended a wanted top cadre of the NSCN-KYA from Assam's Charaideo district. The NSCN-K-YA had previously served an extortion notice demanding Rs 20 lakh from the public sector oil major Oil India Limited (OIL). The notice, signed by the outfit's self-styled Major, Tha Aung, was sent to OIL's office in Manabhum, located in the Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh, demanding the sum by December 10 and warning of accountability for any delays.
OIL has its operational site within the Manabhum reserve forest in eastern Arunachal Pradesh, a densely forested area spanning both Changlang and Namsai districts.
It is important to note that the NSCN-K-YA has not signed a ceasefire agreement with the Central government.