TINSUKIA, Jan 22 - Two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and two others were injured in an ambush engineered by a joint team of militants belonging to the ULFA(I) and NSCN(K) at Wara Basti, 7 km from Jagun in Tinsukia district at about 7 am today. Two militants were also killed in the ensuing encounter.
The security personnel were moving towards Jairampur when the ultras attacked them. According to reports received here, the militants numbering around 20 used grenades and IEDs followed by firing from sophisticated arms. Then taking advantage of deep jungles of Tinkupani reserve forest militants fled the scene with arms and ammunition of slain jawans.
Two private vehicles proceeding towards Nampong in Arunachal Pradesh to attend the annual Pangsau Pass Winter Festival there were also hit by stray bullets fired by the militants, but luckily no inmates were injured.
The annual winter festival is held along the Indo-Myanmar border at Pangsau, the pass that offers one of the easiest routes into the neighbouring country from the Assam-Arunachal plains, and the historic Stilwell Road which was a major theatre of the Second World War.
Security forces have meanwhile launched a massive combing operation in the area and found several IEDs from the spot. Helicopters were also pressed into service to track militants hiding in the thick jungles.
Security forces also sealed the borders leading to a big number of tourists stranded on the other side. The tourists were visiting the �Lake of No Return� in Myanmar as part of a tour programme of the Pangsau Pass Winter Festival. Today was the last day of the three-day festival organised by the Arunachal Pradesh Government.
It may be mentioned that joint groups of ultras had ambushed twice in Tinsukia district on November 16 and 19 last year at Pengeree in Tinsukia district, killing a civilian and three Army personnel.
The slain Assam Rifles jawans have been identified as Riflemen Khamphai Wangchu and Ginlan Dhen. Defence sources said that bodies of two NSCN(K) militants were found inside the jungle.
