Dimapur, August 15 (MExN): The Assam Rifles today gave its version of the August 12 encounter between the 23 Assam Rifles and the NSCN (IM) near Sakok village in Ukhrul district. The AR said the encounter started when a Road Opening Party of the 23 AR was fired upon by “armed underground cadres.” the AR personnel retaliated and the firefight ensued which resulted in the death of four NSCN (IM) cadres.
A press note received here from the Assam Rifles informed that the incident which happened on August 12 and continued till late the evening of August 13. In the conduct of the operations, the bodies of two militants identified as “ss sgt maj” Selmon and “ss cpl” Thanitphang alias Tiger, both NSCN (IM) cadres were recovered. “A large quantity of arms, ammunition and warlike stores has also been recovered from the possession of the two militants,” the release stated while adding that there were no casualties on the side of the Assam Rifles. Confirming from “ground sources and intelligence inputs” that the underground cadres belonged to NSCN (IM), the Assam Rifles alleged that “reports” also indicated “that some unidentified valley-based cadre of Manipur accompanied the NSCN (IM) cadres”.
However, in this connection, the Assam Rifles asserted that “despite provocation by UGs”, the AR has operated in “the most professional manner” keeping the sensitivities of the local populace in mind. Asserting that due care has been taken to ensure that no collateral damage was caused to civilians, the release informed that a group of persons including the UNC president, and representative of Naga groups were taken to the site of the operations and briefed after the incident.
Besides, the Assam Rifles slammed what it termed the “unauthenticated reports” pertaining to the encounter between AR troops and underground armed cadres “appearing in some newspapers” and said that they are “misleading and exemplifies the malicious campaign by anti national & antisocial elements”. “Local populaces are aware of the entire sequence of events and hence such reports only confirm the nefarious activities of UG groups and their mouth pieces,” the Assam Rifles release asserted. Nonetheless, the release once again reiterated that the Assam Rifles will continue “to operate professionally and effectively against UG cadres and ensure safety and security of populace”.
