By KUNA
New Delhi : An Indian army officer and two top insurgents of banned United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) were killed in an encounter in Tinsukia district of India’s Northeastern state of Assam Sunday.
The encounter occured at the Mechaki reserve forest area in Tinsukia district, Press Trust of India reported.
Indian Army officer Captain S Choudhury was killed in the encounter along with Chandan Dohotia and Tutu Moran of ULFA’s 28th battalion, the news agency said.
One AK-47 rifle was recovered from the slain insurgents. The Army has launched a search operation in the area.
ULFA is waging an insurgency since 1979 to create a “sovereign Assam ” carved out of India. It has little public support in Assam and most of its top leadership is reported to be based in Bangladesh and operating from there. ULFA is also alleged to maintain links with Pakistan’s Inter Services Intelligence.
Leading US think tank Stratfor, few months back, in a report — “India: ULFA Abandons Peace Talks” — had said that ULFA was keen to work with groups like Bangladesh-based Harkt ul Jihadi Islami in India’s Northeast and has begun to outsource terror operations.