Guwahati: At least four militants belonging to two rebel groups were killed in Assam early Wednesday morning in two separate encounters with security forces that have intensified vigil against insurgents and jihadi elements all over the state.
Three rebels belonging to the Naga rebel group, NSCN-IM were killed during an encounter with a joint team of Assam Rifles and Assam Police at Hill Haflong (Achik Rabi village) in Dima Hasao hill district of Assam early in the morning.
The operation was started late Tuesday night.One AK-56 rifle, one AK-47 assault rifle, one 9 mm pistol and four grenades, 48 live ammunition, eight mobile phones, demand notes and other incriminating documents were recovered from the encounter site.
Police informed that the exchange of fire between the two sites continued for hours. The NSCN-IM militants who are engaged in a peace process with the Government of Indian since 1997 and bounded by a ceasefire agreement, are not allowed to carry weapons outside their designated truce-time camps located inside Nagaland and indulge in any illegal activities.
Their presence in Dima Hasao outside Nagaland with weapons is clear violation of ceasefire ground rules.
Security sources suspected that the NSCN-IM rebels were out to create trouble during the proposed construction of broad gauge railway line from Lumding to Silchar that passes through Dima Hasao hill district.
They might have been planning to terrorise and extort contractors and their staff to be engaged by the Indian Railways for the mega block construction that is being started.
In another counter-insurgency operation carried out at Bongaon forest area along Assam-Bhutan border under Gossaingaon sub-division in Kokrajhar district of Assam, one militant belonging to National Democratic Front of Bodoland (Sangbijit faction) was killed this morning.
