TINSUKIA: At least one Assam Rifles personnel was injured in an encounter with suspected militants in Assam's Tinsukia district on Tuesday, officials said.
According to Tinsukia Superintendent of Police Gaurav Abhijit Dilip, the incident took place near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border this morning near Namdang in Margherita.
"A convoy of 31 Assam Rifles was coming from Changlang in Arunachal Pradesh towards Margherita when unknown miscreants fired at them. The force also retaliated," he told PTI.
In the encounter, one Assam Rifles personnel was injured, Dilip said.
"There is also a report of one injury from the attackers' side, but we are not able to confirm it yet. Joint search operation is going on at present," he said.
Dilip said although the identity of the militants is not known immediately, "but NSCN and ULFA(I) are active in that area".
A senior official of Assam Rifles confirmed the incident and said the injured person was evacuated by a chopper for medical treatment.
"There were three vehicles and it was a patrol convoy when some militants ambushed them. The ambush was successfully thwarted. There was a minor injury to one soldier and he is stable now," he told PTI on condition of anonymity.
The official said more details are awaited at the moment.
"We are yet to receive inputs from the spot and we can share further details only later," he said.
Meanwhile, an email purportedly from United Liberation Front of Asom (Independent) Publicity Department Member Captain Rumel Asom took responsibility for the attack.
It claimed that 'Operation Pratishodh' was carried out to take revenge on behalf of two deceased cadres of the banned militant outfit.