Dima Hasao, Assam:
At least three suspected NSCN (National Socialist Council of Nagaland) cadres, who entered Assam allegedly to extort money from the National Highways Authority of India, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Dima Hasao district on Tuesday. The entire operation took around 60 hours.
The operation was planned and monitored by the highest level of Assam police for a month now, sources said.
Over 300 security force personnel led by the Assam police were part of this operation.
The encounter took place at a place between N Kubin and Herakilo under Haflong police station limits after the NSCN cadres came from neighbouring Nagaland, police sources added.
A cache of arms and ammunition were also recovered from the men by the special units of the Assam police and Assam Rifles.
The NSCN factions have a ceasefire agreement with the government of India and the state government as part of the ongoing peace process.
While the agreement is operative only within the territorial limited of Nagaland, the NSCN factions have remained active in parts of Arunachal Pradesh and Manipur.
“Acting on a tip-off about the presence of militants, a joint team of the Assam Police and central forces launched an operation in the area. Once face-to-face, a heavy exchange of fire between the security team and militants ensued,” police sources added.
In the gunfight, which lasted for 3-4 hours, three militants were killed on the spot, he added.
Police sources added that the local people of Dima Hasao were actively involved in helping the police as they did not want the peace in the region disrupted.
In February, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Isak-Muivah (NSCN-IM) announced a new battalion for the ‘NC Hills’ region (present-day Dima Hasao), creating a flutter within security agencies in the region.
The outfit’s military chief Anthony N Shimray had surveyed areas along the tri-junction of Assam-Manipur-Nagaland, where the battalion will be based, police sources added.
