Dibrugarh: Assam Rifles and 166 Territorial Army in a joint operation apprehended two suspected Adivasi militants from the Dhaman Tinthengia village of Tingkhong area in upper Assam’s Dibrugarh district on Sunday night.
Police said a .22 pistol and 4 rounds of live bullets were found on them.
The arrested militants were identified as Mileswar Kisan alias Sunil (38) and Shampad Cheruwa alias Rahul (30) of Salmari tea estate.
They were handed over to the Tingkhong police station and were booked under section 25 (1) (a) of the Arms Act.
Dibrugarh Additional SP (Headquarters) Bitul Chetia said that interrogation of the duo were underway and added that they may have links with the All Adivasi National Liberation Army (AANLA) or Maoists elements in the state.
The AANLA, which was formed in 2006 has an estimated strength of around 100 members from the state’s tea tribe community. However, the armed cadres of the outfit are estimated to be not more than 20, said an official.
The AANLA claims to be fighting to safeguard the tribal culture and rights of the plantation workers.
The outfit primarily targets the major tea estates in the upper Assam belt for extortion purposes.