Six insurgents killed in encounter in Arunachal Pradesh

Six NSCN(IM) insurgents were killed in an encounter with security forces in Khonsa area of Arunachal Pradesh early on Saturday (July 11) morning, military sources said.

Sources said that the encounter took place at around 4:30 am where six weapons along with “war-like stores” were recovered from the area. The operation was launched by the Assam Rifles based on specific intelligence inputs that armed insurgents were present in the area.

“At approximately 4:30 hours, an operational contact was established with the NSCN (IM) insurgents in the area. In the ensuing firefight, six insurgents were neutralised,” the source said.

“6 long-range weapons (Four AK-47 and 2 Chinese MQ) have been recovered so far,” said state DGP R P Upadhyaya, Indian Express reported.

An Assam Rifles soldier was injured in the crossfire and his condition was later stated to be stable.

Khonsa is in Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh, at a distance of 50 km from Tinsukia, a leading industrial town in Assam.

The National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) or NSCN (IM) is a 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-long Naga issue.