Itanagar, Oct 21 (IANS) An Assam Rifles jawan was killed while another received bullet injuries on Wednesday during an encounter with suspected militants in Tirap district in southern Arunachal Pradesh, the police said.
An official of the Tirap district police control room said that the incident took place when a convoy of Assam Rifles came under attack by suspected terrorists at the Sanliam tri-junction on Khonsa Lazu road of the district, which shares borders with Myanmar.
“In the ensuing gunfight, a jawan of the para-military force died while another sustained bullet injuries,” the official said on condition of anonymity.
Massive combing operations are being carried out in the area by the Assam Rifles troopers to nab the militants, suspected to belong to the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM).
Further details of the incident are awaited.
It was not immediately known how many Assam Rifles troopers were patrolling the area during the terrorist attack.
This was the second militant attack on Assam Rifles this month.
On October 4, an Assam Rifles jawan was killed while another was hurt in an ambush by suspected militants in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.
Three districts of Arunachal Pradesh — Tirap, Longding and Changlang — share porous and unfenced borders with Myanmar, and for many years, the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) has been enforced in these areas. The AFSPA gives sweeping powers to the security forces, including shoot-to-kill.
Various militant outfits are using these forested areas as their transit route and clandestine hideouts.
–IANS
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