3 NDFB(S) militants killed in encounter

Tezpur, Aug 19 (PTI) Three NDFB(S) militants were killedin an encounter with security forces in Sonitpur district nearAssam-Arunachal Pradesh border this morning. Sonitpur superintendent of police Sanjukta Parashar toldPTI the encounter took place when a joint team of police,CRPF-Cobra battalion and Army were conducting a searchoperation for NDFB(S) cadres at Mainaoshree Paharpur. When the forces approached an NDFB(S) camp where a groupof militants were hiding, there was an exchange of fire inwhich three insurgents were killed on the spot and four othersfled to the dense forest, she said. The security forces destroyed the extremists’ camp,Parashar said, adding the slain militants were identified asNDFB(S) ‘platoon commander’ Raikhoo, ‘section commander’Gothal and another named Aranga, the SP said. A search operation is continuing to track the ultras whofled, she said. Police said three pistols, two grenades, eight rounds ofammunition and five mobile handsets were recovered from theslain militants. NDFB-S had gunned down 14 people and injured over 20others at Balajan in Assam’s Kokrajhar district on August 5and killed a couple in Chirang district in the early hours ofAugust 18. PTI COR ESB KKSRY