High alert sounded across northeast

New Delhi, Jun 11: A high security alert has been sounded across northeast after reports that NSCN-K militants have entered India for revenge attacks following Army's strike in insurgent camps.

The move came after a high-level meeting chaired by Home Minister Rajnath Singh and attended by Defence Minister Manohar Parrikar, NSA Ajit Doval, Vice Chief of Army Lt Gen Philip Campos among others where intelligence inputs were shared.

According to these inputs, around 2O militants belonging to NSCN-K, PLA, ULFA and other groups like the newly-formed United National Liberation Front of West South East Asia crossed the Indo-Myanmar border with the intention of revenge attacks after Tuesday's surgical strike by Army, sources privy to the discussion said.

The top security establishment took stock of the security situation in the entire northeastern region and the fall-out of the Army strike.

The government expressed "satisfaction" and may order similar strike in future if situation demands as the Tuesday morning Army operation was "successful", the sources said.

However, the government may exercise precaution taking into consideration the sensitivities involved with regard to Myanmar, where general election is due soon.

Sources said Doval, who will visit Myanmar soon, will brief the Myanmarese leadership about the circumstances leading to India taking the bold step of ordering surgical strike against militants operating from that country's soil.

There have been reports that India informed Myanmar about the Army's strike only after completion of the operation and that upset the Myanmar leadership.

However, government has been maintaining that Myanmar has been informed about the Army strike "along the border" well in advance.

The meeting also took note of the NSCN-K's attempt to target security forces since June 4 when militants killed 18 Army men in Chandel district of Manipur.

At least five such incidents of attempts to target security forces have taken place since June 4, the sources said.

The top security brass emphasised the need for both defensive and offensive steps to be taken in the wake of intelligence inputs that militants were desperate to carry out some spectacular attacks in the northeast.

PTI