KARIMGANJ, Aug 19 � At least seven militants of a local organisation were gunned down and an Army Major was seriously injured in an encounter in Karimganj district today, reports PTI.
A huge cache of sophisticated arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain ultras, police sources said.
A company of the Army, deployed in remote Gutguti in the Ratabari police station area, was marching in a routine parade when the militants opened fire early this morning, the sources said.
The troops retaliated and in the gun battle that ensued seven ultras were shot dead and an Army Major was also seriously wounded.
Three militants were killed on the spot and bodies of four others recovered from the interior jungles after a search, the sources said.
The identity of the extremists was not immediately known, but they were suspected to belong either to the United Democratic Liberation Army (UDLA) or Tripura based BRU outfit, the sources said.
Sophisticated weapons, including AK-47 and 56 series rifles, and handgrenades were recovered from them.
The area is inaccessible by road and can be reached only after an eight-hour journey from the nearest roadhead.
The army officer wounded in the gun fight was taken to Kolkata in an helicopter for medical treatment, they said.
Senior police and Army officials are at the spot and additional troops have been rushed to the area for launching operation against the ultras, whose number has been put at 40, and are hiding in the area.
The UDLA is active in areas between Karimganj and neighbouring Mizoram.
