KHONSA, Aug 10: A hardcore cadre of NSCN/K (Nikki) was killed while another was apprehended in Tirap district, in a joint operation by the Khonsa Battalion of Assam Rifles and Tirap Police, spanning Wednesday and Thursday.
Assam Rifles troops and Tirap Police had been on the lookout for three cadres of NSCN/K (Nikki) who were on their way to illegally extort money and intimidate locals. With precise inputs to back them, the joint team comprising of Officer-in-charge Borduria Police station and police team and a column of 6th Assam Rifles carried out a well executed operation and apprehended SS Pvt Teton Lokhow (22), a resident to Borduria village, from Bogapani area of Tirap district on Wednesday evening. 
Initial investigations have revealed his involvement in sending extortion messages and making threatening calls to influential figures in the district. An FIR has been filed against him under relevant sections of the Indian Penal Code and the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act.
The apprehended cadre further revealed that two other cadres SS Secy Wangkhai Wangsa and SS Pvt David are moving in Longding area for intimidation and extortion activity and might be carrying arms. Based on the input, another operation was launched by the joint team  in the area close to Hukanjuri in the early hours of Thursday. The joint team of 6th AR and Tirap Police under DySP(HQ) Togum Gongo moved inside the Hukanjuri Naitong forest area and spotted both militants. They were asked to surrender but fired on the forces which prompted  retaliatory fired from the security forces. In the ensuing gunbattle, Wangkhai suffered gunshot injuries and died on the spot while the other cadre managed to escape deep into the forest. Two weapons (One 9mm pistol and one .32 pistol) and personal belongings of the deceased have been recovered from the spot. 
Superintendent of Police, Tirap, Rahul Gupta informed that  the cadres belonged to Tirap and Longding districts and had been serving extortion notes to locals via Whatsapp and intimidating them through phone calls and text messages. 
The security forces had been proactively monitoring all such illegal activities, thereby resulting in the successful operation. The success comes just ahead of Independence Day, when the militants are known to carry out illegal activities against locals and security forces to sensationalise them further. The successful operation has sent a sense of much needed relief in the restive TCL belt, the SP said in a press statement.

 

However, a cloud of controversy looms over the recent security operation, as a viral audio clip on social media challenges the official narrative. The clip claims that the individual who was allegedly killed in the operation was not a member of any extremist group, but a local villager hailing from Kaimoi Village under PS Tissa in Longding District. The audio asserts that he was a daily wage labourer, attempting to return to his home from Deomali, Tirap District, on foot due to the unavailability of transportation. The audio further claims that he was tragically shot and killed by security forces during the encounter. However, the authenticity of this audio clip has not been confirmed.
A security officer informed this daily that, as per the reports available the deceased had recently joined the UG group and the matter is being verified. 

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Kenter Joya Riba

(Managing Editor)
      She is a graduate in Science with post graduation in Sociology from University of Pune. She has been in the media industry for nearly a decade. Before turning to print business, she has been associated with radio and television.
Email: kenterjoyaz@easternsentinel.in / editoreasternsentinel@gmail.com
Phone: 0360-2212313

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