Nalbari:Suspected NDFB-Songbijit ultras stole four rifles from forest guards at Manas National Park in Assam two days after seven Insas rifles were taken away by outfit members from Eco-Task Force of the Territorial Army in Kokrajhar district.
Baksa district superintendent of police Mujibur Rahman told PTI today that the militants took three .303 rifles, a .315 rifle, 111 rounds of ammunition, a wireless set, five mobile sets and a set of uniform at Sidajhar Camp under Kahitema Range of MNP in Baksa district on Wednesday.
The same group then went to Sahabghat camp under the same range and took away a wireless set from the forest guards there. However, no harm was caused to the forest personnel at both the places.
The police received the information about the thefts late last night as the guards could not communicate for their mobile phones and walkie-talkies were also taken, he said.
The police and Army have launched a joint search operation inside the Park for the insurgents, the SP said. On Tuesday a large group of suspected NDFB-S ultras had waylaid personnel of the Eco-Task Force of the Territorial Army and taken away seven Insas rifles with ammunition in a forest in Kokrajhar district along the Indo-Bhutan border.
The weapons were for self protection against animals. The ETF personnel had gone to the forest at Saralbhanga area under Serfunguri police station with plant saplings as part of an afforestation programme there. (PTI)
