Two hardcore militants of the Yung Aung faction of the NSCN-K have been gunned down by the security forces at Kottam forest in Arunachal Pradesh’s Tirap district on Thursday.
A joint operation was launched by the Assam Rifles troopers and Tirap police after receiving “specific intelligence” about the presence of the two militants in the area.
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“The team after exhaustive search approximate ten hours ascertained exact location of the hideout. Subsequently the area was cordoned off and the team challenged insurgents to surrender upon which insurgents opened indiscriminate fire on the team,” a statement read.
“Thereafter, security forces retaliated with firing which resulted in elimination of two hardcore insurgents of NSCN (K-YA),” the statement added.
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Two automatic assault rifles including one MQ series rifle, one M-16 rifle, two country made gun, one 9mm pistol, one Chinese hand grenade, ammunition and other war like stores have been recovered from the possession of the slain militants.
The Assam Rifles in a statement said, “A group of approximate 10 hardcore armed insurgents of banned outfit NSCN (K-YA) led by self-styled Captain Rocky Thapa, NSCN (K-YA) commander of Tirap district have been active in the area for the past one month.”
“The group had been victimising the innocent villagers of Kollam, Lomlo, Kolagaon and Lamsa villages under Khonsa and Deomali circles by extorting money in the form of house tax and threatening them of dire consequences if the villagers do not pay the extortion money.”
The statement adds: “The nefarious activities of the group kept on increasing to an extent that they started hitting and threatening the village committee members. The group was constantly threatening civil contractor engaged in construction of roads in Deomali Circle to pay extortion money.”
“To tighten the noose on the activities of the cadres, security forces beefed up the surveillance to monitor their movements. This operation has caused a huge dent to the nefarious activities of the banned outfit.”
“The continuous efforts, relentless pursuit and joint operations by Assam Rifles and Tirap Police to apprehend various underground cadres operating in Tirap district trying to disrupt peace and harmony have been paying huge dividends,” the Assam Rifles statement read.