Four army jawans hurt in landmine blast

Itanagar, Apr 26 (UNI) Four army jawans were injured, one of them seriously, in a landmine blast triggered by suspected ULFA activists at Namgo village of Lohit district of Arunachal Pradesh.

Official sources today said the blast occurred yesterday when 581 Artillery Regiment of the Army were patrolling on a three-toner vehicle.

The injured soldiers were taken to Chowkham hospital before being evacuated outside for better treatment, the sources informed adding that the area was close to the Turung reserve forest, reportedly used by the ULFA cadres as a safe passage to cross over to Myanmar via the Namdapha Wildlife Sanctuary, which is connected to the Patkai range spread over both sides of Indo-Myanmar border.

The blast came close on the heels of the Army's claim that it had almost broken the backbone of the ULFA following the surrender, arrest and killing of a large number of its cadres in the jungles of Arunachal Pradesh.

In the ongoing operation against the underground militants, the Army had killed eight hardcore ULFA militants, including two women cadres of 'C' company of the dreaded 28th battalion and recovered a huge cache of arms and ammunition from them on April 10 last at Tekelibam Siljan village under Lathao circle of the district.

The security forces mounted vigil along the interstate boundary with Arunachal to check movements of militants besides intensifying operations in the inaccessible forests of the hilly state.

UNI