Sensation prevailed in the entire area after the body of a suspected ULFA (I) militant was found floating early Thursday morning at Buridihing river at Takeri under Pengaree police station in upper Assam’s Tinsukia district.
It is suspected that the floating body with full battle fatigue along with a grenade fitted on it might have been shot dead by the Army recently under Jagun outpost along Assam-Arunachal inter-state boundary in the region.
The Army had earlier claimed that during a gun battle, two of the ULFA cadres were injured during an encounter that took place at night and recovered explosives from the place of the incident.
The body was recovered by Pengaree police and investigation is on till the filing of this report. The body is yet to be identified but Army officials claimed that it is to be of Jaan Asom.
Army on Tuesday said two ULFA (I) rebels were seriously injured in a gunfight between security forces and militants from the banned outfit at Lekhapani area in eastern Assam’s Tinsukia district along Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border.
Army said that ULFA (I) cadre Tiger Asom was injured in the encounter that started at 8 pm on Monday at Kakorani reserve forest under Jagun police station in the district.
A joint team of the Police and Army launched a search operation following reports that a 22-member team of hardcore ULFA-I rebels led by Rupam Asom and Jaan Asom had taken shelter in a house in Adarsha village in Lekhapani.
Army column came across the insurgent group inside the reserve forest resulting in heavy exchange of fire. Two ULFA (I) rebels are suspected to be seriously injured in the encounter. And one of them is believed to be ULFA (I) cadre Tiger Asom, the Army had stated.
Following the encounter, the Army have launched massive operations in the area.
During operations, Army recovered a three-kg improvised explosive device (IED), live grenades of under barrel grenade launchers (UBGL), spent cartridges, medicines and other items abandoned by the rebels.