After a superintendent of police and his personal security guard were killed in an encounter with the United Peoples Liberation Army (UPLA) in Karbi Anglong district of Assam recently, Union Minister of State for Home Affairs Kiren Rijiju has appealed to the militant outfits to shun violence.
Nitya Nanda Goswami, the Superintendent of Police of Hamren District, was leading an operation against the insurgent outfit in the remote Rongthang forest area where they came face-to-face with the militants.
The police team retaliated and in the ensuing encounter, Goswami and his personal security guard were killed.
"We had information that some militants have taken shelter in the village and they were planning to kidnap somebody. The SP, additional SP and other policemen went to the village and they divided into three groups. While they were carrying out search operation the militants started firing from the jungle," said S.N. Singh, IGP, Law and Order, Assam
Kiren Rijiju and Assam Chief Minister Tarun Gogoi visited Karbi Anglong to pay tribute to slain police officer and his personal security guard.
Their last rights were performed with full state honour. The police force and top officials paid floral tributes and gave them a guard of honor with gun salute.
Saddened by the incident, Kiren Rijiju appealed to militant outfits to give up arms and join the mainstream.
"I appeal to all those who are working in various factions of underground elements and other groups for conducting and involving illegal activity to come back to the mainstream. We will open up with any issue," said Rijiju.
Tarun Gogoi has confirmed that 10 suspected cadres of United People's Liberation Army involved in killing of Police officer have been arrested. He said the operation is on to root-out militants from the region.
"They involved in a killing of police officer and they belong to UPLA Group. 10 of them have been arrested in the border of Assam and Nagaland," said Gogoi.
UPLA was formed in 2013 to counter the Karbi People's Liberation Tigers (KPLT) and it is mostly operating in Karbi Anglong District.
