Security forces eliminated an outlawed National Socialist Council of Nagaland - Khaplang (NSCN-K) militant and injured another on Monday in an encounter in Longding district on the Indo-Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh. A soldier was also injured in the operation.
Following this, a hideout of the outfit was destroyed.
The encounter comes a day before Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to Myanmar. The issues of defence and security cooperation, including cross-border activities by certain insurgent groups, are likely to figure in the PM’s talks with the leadership there.
In New Delhi, Army chief general Bipin Rawat met Minister of State for Home Kiren Rijiju, who hails from Arunachal, and the operation against the Khaplang faction of the NSCN is believed to have figured in the discussion.
Regarding the operation, Army Chief General Bipin Rawat was quoted by ANI as saying:
It’s a normal routine operation. Such operations happen everyday. There is nothing big about them.General Bipin Rawat, Army Chief
India has been concerned about some militant groups from the Northeast region taking shelter in Myanmar. The country has been assuring India that it would not allow any insurgent group to use its territory against India.
The Operation
The security forces had launched the operation following specific inputs about the presence of NSCN (K) rebels near Votnu village in the district.
The forces came under heavy fire from the rebels and retaliated in which one militant was killed and another was injured, defence spokesman Colonel Chiranjit Konwer said.
According to ANI, the operation had been underway since 7:30 am on Monday.
The other militants were successful in escaping into the dense forest nearby. During the search, the forces located the temporary hideout and destroyed it, he said.
The injured insurgent was arrested and a massive search operation was launched in the area to capture the escaped militants, Konwer said. He added that one AK-47 with ammunition has been recovered from the terrorist who was killed.
Another militant of the outfit was killed on 1 September at Kunnu village in the district during a similar operation, the defence spokesman said.
Security forces under the aegis of DAO division have been carrying out aggressive operations in south Arunachal Pradesh and Monday’s operation has struck a blow to the illegal activities being carried out by the underground outfit in the area, he added.
In June 2015, the Indian army had carried out an operation in areas near the Indo-Myanmar against the NSCN(K) militants, days after militants had killed 18 army men in Manipur.
(With inputs from PTI and ANI)
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