Security forces gunned down two suspected hardcore members of United Liberation Front of Assam – Independent and CORCOM (People’s Liberation Army) at Shankapani under the Jairampur subdivision of South Arunachal in the early hours of Thursday.

In a joint operation by Army and Assam Rifles the two self-styled militants, Private Moniram of ULFA(I) and Corporal Hera Singh alias Tomba of CORCOM were killed in a gunfight, it was learnt. The incident took place a week after army soldier Naik Rakesh Kumar was killed in an encounter with ULFA(I) insurgents in Arunachal’s Namsai district.

Based on intelligence inputs, security forces sealed the exit points of a house where the militants were holed up along with civilians, Defence PRO Chiranjeet Konwer said today. “To avoid collateral damage, the militants were warned and asked to surrender. They tried to flee from the spot after opening fire at the forces, trying to break through the cordon. Two militants were neutralised during the operation. No civilian was wounded in the crossfire,” he said.