In Tirap NSCN (Niki-Sumi) freedom-fighter killed in encounter

Tinsukia: A senior leader of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Niki-Sumi) was gunned down in the Tirap district of Arunachal Pradesh on Thursday during an encounter between security forces and freedpm-fighters.

According to the information received, a joint team of police and Assam Rifles gunned down the self-style secretary of the NSCN (Niki-Sumi) Arunachal Unit Wangkhai Wangsa.

Talking to media, superintendent of Tirap police Rahul Gupta said, based on the input of the movement of armed militants, security forces launched an operation near Hukanjari. “During the operation, they opened fire on security forces and tried to flee.

In retaliatory firing, one militant sustained bullet injuries while another managed to flee in the jungles,” Gupta said. The injured militant succumbed to bullet injury.

“We have recovered two small arms – one 9mm pistol and one .32mm pistol – and a sling bag with personal belongings,” added Gupta.

On Wednesday, Tirap police arrested one NSCN (Niki-Sumi) freedom-fighter, SS Private Tethon Lokhow. “He revealed that he was accompanied by two more Niki Sumi freedom-fighters, namely SS Secretary Wangkhai Wangsa and SS Private David, who parted ways in Tinsukia,” a source said.

The source added, “Based on this information, a search operation for other two freedom-fighters was launched and today at around 6 am, the two freedom-fighters were spotted.”

In a separate operation, one ULFA (I) freedom-fighter was arrested by a joint team of the Khonsa Battalion of Assam Rifles and the Arunachal Pradesh Police in Tirap district.

As per reliable sources, the joint team of security forces worked on a reliable input and launched troops in the border village of Noglo. “The search party tactically cordoned the suspected area where the freedom-fighter was resting and took him by surprise.

The freedom-fighter, identified as Self Styled Private Aparajit Nath @Pankaj Asom, had crossed over the Indo-Myanmar Border to try and make their way to Assam in a bid to carry out subversive activities,” a source added.

Pankaj Asom joined the banned outfit in 2022.

The development came close on the heels of the Independence Day celebration and the eve of a high-level security meeting headed by Assam Director General of Police GP Singh in Tinsukia.