Assam Rifles nabs 12 DHD ultras

Shillong, Oct 23 (UNI) The Assam Rifles has apprehended 12 Dimasa Halam Doagah(DHD) cadres for violating ceasefire ground rules in North Cachar Hills in Asom today.

The ultras were intercepted by troops of 45 Assam Rifles on Dehangi-Umrangshu road.

Assam Rifles officer K R Rajkumar said the militants, dressed in army fatigues, tried to run away on seeing the troops. However, they later surrendered themselves along with the arms and ammunition,he added.

From their possession, the troops seized huge cache of arms and ammunition which includes five AK-47 rifles, four AK-47 Chinese rifles, one Lithod launcher, one M-16 rifles, fifteen magazines, 1046 rounds of AK ammunition, five Lithod grenades, three H E grenades, two Chinese grenades, two detonators of hand grenades, 105 rounds of M-16 and INSAS rifles, four mobile sets, one flame thrower grenade, three daggers, 5 bayonets, one pair of combat dress and Rs 36,135 in cash.

As per ceasefire ground rules, Lt. Col Rajkumar said the DHD cadres can operate only within one km of the designated camp.

He said the heavily armed DHD group in gross violation of the cease fire ground rules could have carried out a deadly attack, he said.

Incidentally, on October 6, militants had ambushed a team of railway engineers and security forces in a jungle near Lumding resulting in the death of eleven people.

Lt. Col Rajkumar said this gang might have been involved in the incident and so the weapons had been sent for forensic test to establish connection in the case.

UNI RRK KK DB1822