Tribune News Service

Guwahati, November 19

Three Army personnel were killed and four injured when a group of 15-20  suspected militants belonging to the banned United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent) and the NSCN-K ambushed  two Army vehicles  around 5.30 am inside the Buri Dihing reserve forest  near Pengeri  in Tinsukia district of eastern Assam,  about 510 km away from here.The slain jawans belonged to 15 Kumaon Regiment based in Pengeri and were engaged in counter-insurgency operations, sources said. The deceased were identified as Havildar Multan Singh, Havildar Rishipal Singh and Naik Narpat Singh.Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh called up  Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal  this morning and took stock of the situation after the attack. State Director  General of Police (DGP) Mukesh Sahay, who rushed to the spot, said he suspected the hand of ULFA(I) and its allies  and vowed to apprehend the culprits.  The two Army vehicles – a Gypsy and a truck – were on  way to the refinery town of Digboi when ambushed, with the militants triggering an IED blast under the Gypsy and opening fire. The blast created a crater on the road. Security personnel later recovered grenade launchers at the spot. The police and Army have cordoned off the area and launched a combing operation in the area, including the reserve forest. Helicopters have been pressed into service.The police said the attack was carried out by militants who used sophisticated weapons, including rocket- propelled grenades (RPG), AK-47 assault rifles and mortars.This is the first major attack on the security forces by the banned ULFA (I)   since the BJP-led government  headed by Sonowal  came to power in Assam in May this year. It is the second attack by ULFA(I) in Pengeri in three days. On November 16, a civilian was killed and two Assam Industrial Security Force (AISF) personnel were seriously injured when a tea garden vehicle, on its way to collect cash from Doom Dooma to pay workers, was waylaid near Pengeri.

Five Naxals gunned down in Chhattisgarh

• Raipur: Five Naxals have been shot in the jungles of Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district in the Maoist hotbed Bastar, the police said on Saturday. “The skirmish took place on Friday night between a joint team of the District Reserve Group (DRG) and ultras in the jungles of Tuspal and Becha Kilam villages,” IGP (Bastar Range), SRP Kalluri said. This is the second biggest encounter in Bastar this month after bodies of six Naxals, including three women, were recovered after a gunbattle in Dantewadaon November 16.

Militant shot; soldier hurt in border fire

Anantnag, November 19

Local militant Rayees Ahmad Dar of Kakapora village, Pulwama, was killed in an encounter in Pulwama district today while soldier Kala Singh  of 8 Sikh Light Infantry was seriously injured in cross-border firing.  An ambush was laid for militants in Begum Bagh. Personnel of 50 RR  and the Special Operations Group (SOG) were part of the operation,” a senior police official said. He said the two militants were riding a bike when they were intercepted by security personnel. “The pillion rider got down and opened fire. He was killed after a brief encounter. His accomplice managed to flee,” the official said. An AK-47 rifle and ammunition was found at the encounter site.Dar had joined the Hizb-ul-Mujahideen recently. In his mid-twenties, he had attended the ITI  before being appointed trainer at the institute on a contractual basis, the officer said.Meanwhile, the police have appealed to young recruits to lay down arms. DIG (South Kashmir range) Niteish Kumar said rehabilitation cells had been formed at the district level to try integrate “these boys with the mainstream”.Reports said Pakistani troops continued to pound forward posts and villages near the LoC in Rajouri and Poonch districts. After a two-day lull, the Pakistan army today resorted to unprovoked heavy mortar shelling on forward posts and civilian areas in Kalsian, Jhanhar and Bhawani villages in Nowshera sector, using small and automatic arms and 120 mm mortars. Due to the heavy shelling, the movement of civil/police officials has been restricted. A house each at Makri and Kalisan villages was damaged in the shelling. “Shanti Devi, 80, of Makri village received splinter injuries. Her condition is stable,” said the SDM.