Hmar militant killed in encounter, abduct 3

Silchar, Dec 2 (UNI) Security forces shot dead a Hmar militant in an encounter in Barak Valley of southern Assam's Cachar district while three persons were kidnapped by the rebels, police today said.

Police said a group of about 12 armed militants, belonging to Hmar Peoples' Convention (Democratic), entered the house of one Taz Uddin Laskar, a local Congress committee president, last night and kidnapped his two sons and the manager at gun point. Mr Laskar is a contractor by profession at Jamalpur, close to Mizoram border.

The police rushed to the place from the nearby Dholai police station and tried to prevent the kidnappers with the help of local people.

But the militants started firing at the police, which was retaliated resulting in the death of one of the kidnappers on the spot. Other members of the gang managed to escape with the abducted persons towards the Mizoram border.

Police and CRPF have started combing operation in the area to rescue the kidnapped persons, said Cachar additional superintendent of police Pranab Joyti Goswami.

UNI