Suspected ULFA-I cadre killed in encounter with security forces in Namsai

OUR CORRESPONDENT

DIGBOI: A suspected cadre of the banned outfit, United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I), was killed in an encounter with security forces in the early hours of Wednesday at 6 Mile area in Arunachal’s Namsai district. The joint operation was carried out by the Indian Army and the Assam Rifles, based on intelligence inputs about militant movement along the Assam–Arunachal frontier.

Security officials said that the operation was launched late Tuesday night after intelligence suggested that a group of ULFA-I militants had crossed into the Namsai sector. Troops conducted a cordon-and-search operation, supported by aerial surveillance and tracker teams. During the early morning search, the troops came under fire, leading to a brief exchange in which one militant was neutralized.

According to defence sources, “Arms and ammunition were recovered from the site, including one HK-series assault rifle, an RPG round, rucksacks, and other war-like stores.” An officer said that an active ULFA-I threat operating in the sensitive border zone was neutralized in the operation.

Sources revealed that the slain rebel was among a seven-member ULFA-I team that had recently attacked the Kakopather Army base camp in Assam’s Tinsukia district. Following the assault, the group reportedly fled towards the Arunachal border to evade security pursuit.

A blood-stained, deserted vehicle used by the militants was later discovered on the banks of the Nao Dehing river near Thapa Basti, which provided a crucial lead to their movement. Acting on this information, security forces intensified operations in the area, eventually tracing the group to Namsai.

Investigators believe that the rebel was attempting to sneak back to a ULFA-I camp in Myanmar, but the plan failed when security forces intercepted the group before they could cross the frontier. Officials said that this marked a decisive setback to the outfit’s escape network and operational movement along the border.

The jurisdiction of the operation was confirmed by Superintendent of Police (SP) Namsai, Sange Thinley, who has been actively extending all possible local support to assist the ongoing anti-insurgency efforts. SP Thinley has coordinated between the local police, Army, and Assam Rifles to ensure smooth ground operations and civilian safety in the area.

Security forces have since intensified follow-up operations to trace and apprehend the remaining members of the group believed to be hiding in the dense forests along the Nao Dehing river belt. The Namsai district administration has also tightened security measures and urged residents to remain vigilant and report any suspicious movement to authorities.

ULFA-I, banned under the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, has long used the Assam–Arunachal–Myanmar corridor as a strategic route for infiltration, arms supply, and shelter. The outfit continues to face sustained counter-insurgency pressure from joint operations conducted by the Army, Assam Rifles, and state police forces across the northeastern frontier. Significantly, no formal assertion or statement from the ULFA-I had been received till the time of filing this report.

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