ANLA base growing in Asom, rebel killed in shootout

Guwahati, July 23 (UNI) An Adivasi Nationalist Liberation Army (ANLA) militant was killed in an encounter with police at Naojan under Sarupathar sub-division along the Asom-Nagaland border in Golaghat district today.

Superintendent of Police Rana Bhuyan said the incident indicated that the ANLA was procuring sophisticated arms and spreading its bases in the state.

An AK-56 rifle and a chinese grenade were seized from the slain ultra, he added.

The encounter took place with a group of ANLA rebels early this morning.

Other rebels, however, managed to escape.

This was the second instance when a sophisticated rifle had been recovered from an ANLA activist.

In the past one month, at least 20 rebels of the outfit had been arrested in various places in upper Asom districts of Sivasagar, Jorhat, Golaghat and Karbi Anglong.

The outfit was relatively unknown in the state till a few months back.

Police said the outfit was intending to establish its hold in the adivasi-dominated tea garden areas.

'' The tea estates are saturated with labourers. While the population of the tea tribals is increasing, the placement opportunities are on the wane. The ANLA is trying to cash in on the situation and rope in more and more youths to the outfit, '' a senior police official said on anonymity.

Police had been alerted by the Home department in this regard, and the tea garden and adivasi areas were being closely monitored.

UNI