Guwahati, April 24: In a significant breakthrough, Tinsukia Police have arrested three individuals for their alleged involvement in an ambush carried out by the banned militant outfit ULFA-I (United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent) on an Assam Rifles convoy in Margherita on April 16, 2024.
According to a press note issued by the Tinsukia Police, the ambush took place at around 8 AM on April 16 in the Makumpani Forest Range area along the Changlang Road. The convoy, comprising one Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and 16 other Assam Rifles personnel travelling in three vehicles, came under heavy gunfire from the insurgents. The Assam Rifles team retaliated, and the militants fled into the dense forest cover.
In a joint operation with the 31st and 23rd Assam Rifles battalions and the Arunachal Pradesh Police, three individuals identified as Mankhul Mossang (28, S/o Lemkom Mossang), Mannong Mossang (39, S/o Lemkom Mossang), and Jhonwang Hakum (21, S/o Sri Rangwuk Hakum), were apprehended on April 24. All of them are residents of Changlang district, Arunachal Prades. They have been accused of providing logistical support, rations, and guidance to the ULFA cadres involved in the ambush.
According to the police, Jhonwang Hakum acted as a guide for the ULFA militants. At the same time, Mannong Mossang and Mankhul Mossang assisted in their escape and provided local support and guidance. The press note further states that one ULFA cadre was killed during the retaliatory firing by the Assam Rifles, and at least three others were injured and evacuated to ULFA camps in Myanmar.
Efforts are underway to recover the body of the slain ULFA cadre and hand it over to the family members. The accused individuals have identified the ULFA cadres involved in the ambush, and further joint search operations are ongoing to apprehend them.
The case has been registered under various sections of the Indian Penal Code (IPC), including sections 427 (mischief causing damage), 326 (grievous hurt by dangerous weapons), 307 (attempt to murder), and section 25 (1-A) of the Arms Act, 1959. Additional charges under sections 120(b) (criminal conspiracy) of the IPC and sections 10/13 of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act have also been added.
