From Our Correspondent
JOWAI: Heavy exchange of fire took place between the Jaintia Hills Police and suspected HNLC militants at a forest near Pynthorsale village under Khliehriat Sub-Division in Jaintia Hills District, about 20 kilometers from Jowai on Saturday evening.
The firing took place at around 4:30 pm and lasted for 10 to 15 minutes, police sources informed.
Jaintia Hills SP O Pasi said that the unidentified miscreants could be cadres of the HNLC who had come to Jaintia Hills with an aim to disrupt the Independence Day celebrations in the State.
According to Pasi, the local people informed the officer in charge Khliehriat PS, EB Kyndiah about the presence of the unidentified gunmen in the area.
“The circle inspector and a team of armed police personnel rushed to the spot as around four armed miscreants fired at the police personnel near Pynthorsale village”, Pasi said adding that the police retaliated immediately.
“There is no casualty as far as the police is concerned, but we could not confirm if any of the suspected militants was injured”, the SP added.
Soon after the firing incident, police personnel from the district headquarters led by the SP himself rushed to the area and launched a search operation to nab the armed militants.
Sources also informed that around four to six members of the suspected militant outfit armed with sophisticated weapons were moving around Jaintia hills District particularly Kong-ong area.
It may be mentioned that last year too, about two weeks before the Independence Day, some HNLC cadres had taken shelter in a forest about 2 km away from Syntu Ksiar area of the district.