Itanagar, October 22: A suspected cadre of the banned United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) [ULFA(I)] was gunned down in a fierce encounter with Assam Rifles personnel in Namsai district of Arunachal Pradesh on Tuesday night, officials said.
The exchange of fire occurred in the 6 Mile area under Namsai police station, following a tip-off about the presence of six to seven ULFA(I) militants in the 6 Mile–Lekang Khampti area, police sources confirmed.
“Acting on specific intelligence inputs, an operation was launched by Assam Rifles. During the ensuing gunfight, one ULFA(I) militant was neutralised,” a police official stated.
According to sources, the militants were believed to be part of the same unit responsible for a recent attack on an Army Company Operating Base (COB) at Kakopathar in Assam’s Tinsukia district last week.
As the Assam Rifles team moved in on the suspected location, they came under heavy fire from the militants. The troops retaliated, resulting in an intense exchange of gunfire that lasted several minutes. While one militant was killed, the remaining insurgents managed to flee under cover of darkness.
A massive search operation has since been launched in and around the encounter site, with the assistance of helicopters, drones, and tracker dogs to track down the escaped militants.
Security forces recovered an HK-series automatic rifle, a grenade, and three bags containing tactical equipment and personal items from the area.
Authorities suspect the group had crossed into Arunachal Pradesh after the Tinsukia attack and were planning further operations in the region. Enhanced security measures have been put in place across the Assam–Arunachal border to prevent further militant movements.
