Militants attack Assam Rifles, 2 soldiers martyred and several injured

An Assam Rifles vehicle escorting tourists was attacked by suspected militants on Sunday, killing two personnel and injuring several others near the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border. Militants lobbed several grenades targeting the vehicle at Jagun 12th Mile Barabasti on NH-53 bordering Assam’s Tinsukia district in the run up to Republic Day, a defence spokesman told PTI.

The security personnel retaliated and an encounter followed with sporadic firing and is still continuing. The Assam Rifles vehicle and three vehicles of tourists returning from the Pangsau festival have been damaged in grenade explosions, the spokesman said.

The entire area has been cordoned off with combing operations stepped up in the area and tourists are stranded along the highway.The Pangsau Festival is held along the Indo-Myanmar border in the area.

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