GUWAHATI, June 10 � The main aim of the strike by the Indian security forces in Myanmar was to send a strong signal to the militants. After the success of the operation, the Government of India decided to hit back hard whenever any militant group launches an attack.
Highly placed security sources told The Assam Tribune that the operation in Myanmar was �meticulously planned� and National Security Adviser Ajit Doval was personally involved in planning of the operation and supervised the operation. Though the exact number of militants killed in the operation is yet to be ascertained, it is confirmed that the ultras suffered heavy casualties and two camps were �ravaged�.
Giving details of the planning of the operation, sources revealed that after militants ambushed an Army team in Chandel district of Manipur on June 4, killing 20 Army personnel, the Centre took the matter very seriously. After a series of meetings on June 5, it was decided that it should hit back hard. Sources admitted that initially, there were some differences of opinion on the issue of launching an attack on foreign soil. But later, the operation was cleared �at the highest level�.
Sources said the Army chief himself visited the place where the Army personnel faced the ambush and on June 5 and 6, the whole operation was planned out. All the intelligence inputs available about militant camps in Myanmar were double-checked and extensive planning was carried out to ensure that nothing goes wrong as for the first time, such an operation was planned inside Myanmar.
Sources revealed that after completion of the planning, on the night of June 8, paratroopers, who were trained specially for such operations, were dropped near three camps of militants inside Myanmar. The planning was so meticulous that even helicopters, which make comparatively less noise, were selected for the operation so that the militants could be caught totally unawares. At one location, a team of the paratroopers found only an abandoned camp, but at two other places, they managed to launch �highly successful operations� and completely ravaged two camps of militants. The exact number of casualties suffered by the militants is yet to be ascertained as � it was not possible for the paratroopers to count the number of bodies. At this moment, we can only make a guess about the number of militants killed. But the casualty figure must be very high as there was a large number of militants in the camps,� sources added.
It is still not known whether the militants killed in the operation belonged to NSCN only or members of other outfits were also killed. The camps, which were destroyed by the paratroopers belonged to NSCN(K), but very often, members of other militant groups also stay in such camps, sources added.
Replying to a question whether Myanmar Army personnel were also involved in the operation, sources replied in the negative. Sources said Myanmar was informed only a few hours before the operation to prevent the possibility of the information being leaked out.
After the success, the government has decided that from now on, all-out efforts would be made to hit back at anyone who dares to launch attack on India.
