Guwahati, May 23 (IANS): At least six Dimasa National Liberation Army (DNLA) militantse and Assam Rifles in Dhansiri Area of Karbi Anglong district, a top police official said.

Four AK-47 rifles, four revolvers, some live grenades, improvised guns and huge rounds of ammunition were found in the possession of the slain militants.

A section of media, however, said that eight DNLA guerillas were killed in the counter-militant operation, which is still underway under the command of the Karbi Anglong's Additional Superintendent of Police Prakash Sonowal.

Director General of Assam Police Bhaskar Jyoti Mahanta said that six hardcore top cadres of DNLA were neutralised in Karbi Anglong District when they fired at a joint team of police and Assam Rifles during an anti-terror operation. The police chief said that the outlawed DNLA has been involved in kidnapping, extortion, killing and these are not tolerated in Assam.

Counter-insurgency operations in the Dhansiripar area of the Karbi Anglong district, bordering Nagaland, were recently intensified after the suspected DNLA militants killed one Sanjoy Ronghang at Daojingphang village on May 19. Several organisations including Dimasa Students' Union had condemned the killing of Sanjoy Ronghang and demanded action against the perpetrators.

The DNLA was formed in April 2019 to fight for a sovereign "Dimasa nation". The members of the DNLA outfit have allegedly been trained by the Isak-Muivah faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland, which has been engaged in talks with the central government for the past many years.

The DNLA has been active in certain areas of Karbi Anglong as well as adjoining Dima Hasao district.