Guwahati: Insurgent group United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) has claimed responsibility for the Army patrol party which was ambushed on Monday in the Tinsukia district of eastern Assam.
The ULFA-I stated that the attack has been dubbed “Operation Lakhipathar” in a statement sent through email on Tuesday.
The ULFA-I attacked the army unit at around 7.45 am on November 14 in order to commemorate their “Protest Day,” which they hold on November 28.
The Army unit was attacked on the Pengeri-Digboi Road in the Barpathar district on Monday morning during an operation to establish area dominance.
The insurgents fired about 20 to 30 bullets while detonating an IED on the leading mine-protected vehicle (MPV).
The Army has claimed that it has not suffered any casualty except for a punctured tyre, and in retaliatory firing, at least one ULFA(I) cadre was “seriously injured as was apparent from splattered blood stains found in the forest area”.
As a result, the Digboi-Pengeri road has been temporarily closed for security concerns.
Meanwhile, the Assam Police on Tuesday arrested a linkman of the ULFA-I in Jorhat district. According to reports, the arrested linkman allegedly helped ULFA-I militants carry out the ambush strike.