Six NSCN (IM) rebels killed with security forces in Arunachal encounter

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ITANAGAR: Altogether six NSCN (IM) rebels were killed in a gunfight with security forces in a jungle in Longding district of Arunachal Pradesh early Saturday morning, military and police officials said. One soldier of Assam Rifles was injured in the operation; his condition is stated to be stable, they said. The encounter took place in the jungle between Nginu and Ngissa villages of Longding, officials in Arunachal Pradesh said.

Earlier, military sources in Delhi said the gunfight took place in the general area of Khonsa, a popular hill station in Tirap district. Longding was originally part of Tirap; but it was carved out as a separate district a few years ago.

The encounter began around 4:30 am and lasted for nearly two hours, the officials said, adding six weapons along with "war like stores" were recovered from the area.

The anti-militancy operation was conducted by a joint team of Assam Rifles and Longding police after receiving specific intelligence inputs about presence of the militants in the area, Arunachal Pradesh Police spokesman Navdeep S Brar said. "Around 4.30 am, the first contact of the militants was made by a team of 6 Assam Rifles in jungles between Nginu and Ngissa. Six insurgents were killed in the gunfight," Brar said.

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (IM) is a proscribed militant outfit fighting for a separate homeland for Naga people for last several decades. It has been holding talks with the Centre for resolution of the vexed six-decade Naga issue. The State police spokesman said that the militants fired 400 rounds on the security forces.     

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