Guwahati: Superintendent of Police of Hamren police district of Assam, Nityananda Goswami was killed along with his personal security officer (PSO) in an ambush by tribal militants deep inside the Hamren sub-division of Karbi Anglong hill district of Assam late Thursday night.
Police informed that the SP was leading a police team from Hamren police district operating against the outlawed Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers (KPLT) in remote Rongphur area in Jaintia hills areas of the district bordering Meghalaya about 20 kilometers away from Hamren town.
The officer along with his PSO Ratul Nunisa was killed when KPLT ultras hiding inside thick forest fired upon the police team from automatic weapons. He was leading a police team of 18 personnel from Hamren police station who were divided into three teams while operating against the ultras. Two other teams were led by additional SP, Bedanta Borkotoky and the officer-in-charge of Hamren police station respectively.
The team led by the SP came under attack of militants late Thursday night and four of the cops in the team who could escape with their life came back to Hamren police station to report about the ambush at around 2-30 A.M. on Friday. They informed that they were attacked by a group of about 30 extremists that killed him and his PSO on the spot. The body of SP and his PSO was brought back to Hamren police station later in the morning.
IGP Law and Order A P Rout described the SP’s operation as a “gallant action”.
58-year-old Goswami, a member of 1993 batch Special Assam police Service, is survived by his wife and son. Goswami’s PSO, who was also killed in the encounter has been identified as Ratul Nunisa, said police.
Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi called for a law and order review meeting with the senior police officials in Dispur following the ambush on the police party in Hamren.
Senior police officials rushed to Hamren following the incident to take stock of the situation.
The KPLT, formed in 2010, has been demanding creation of a Hemprek Kanthim (self-ruled homeland) for the Karbi people.
It is a breakaway anti-talks faction of the ethnic insurgent Karbi Longri N.C. Hills Liberation Front (KLNLF). (with inputs from PTI)
