Three soldiers were martyred and four others were injured during a gunbattle with suspected ULFA militants in Pengri area of Tinsukia district of Assam today.
âDefence spokesman Lt. Col. Suneet Newton said that armed militants first triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) blast before the vehicle was attacked with indiscriminate firing in Pengeri area around 5.30 am.
"Four soldiers were injured during the firing. We rushed them to a local hospital but three of them succumbed to their injuries later," Newton said.
Tinsukia Superintendent of Police, Mugdhajyoti Mahanta, said that the perpetrators of the incident were the National Socialist Council of Nagaland-Khaplang (NSCN-K) and an anti-talk faction of the United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) militant group.
"The militants attacked the convoy with AK-47, RPG, Lethod guns and other sophisticated arms," the spokesperson added.
Rajnath speaks to Assam CM over militant ambush
Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal after militants fired at an army convoy here.
Singh said that the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) was closely monitoring the situation.
"Spoke to Assam CM (Chief Minister Sarbananda) Sonowal who apprised me of the situation in the wake of blast in Tinsukia. MHA is closely monitoring the situation," he said in a tweet.
"Deeply anguished to learn of the death of soldiers in a blast in Tinsukia. I pray for the speedy recovery of our injured soldiers," Singh tweeted.
Locals said that the militants fired at the vehicle from both sides of the road, which are forested areas.
On Wednesday, the suspected militants fired upon a garden vehicle in Pengeri killing one person and injuring two others.
