IMPHAL, August 28: In a major successful operation at Pangsha in Tuensang District of Nagaland, Security Forces neutralised seven cadres of the NSCN (Khaplang), including one woman cadre, in an exchange of fire between the two groups, according to a release of PRO IGAR (N) Kohima.
According to the statement, a Security Forces team on patrol carrying out routine domination of the border area along the Pangsha town when they saw a motorcycle, a Gypsy and a Bolero vehicle approaching along the road.
It said just as the patrol team asked the motorcycle to halt for checking, there was intense firing from the Gypsy and Bolero vehicles which were following behind.
The PRO IGAR (N) statement continued that the security forces retaliated with equal fire power and in the ensuing fire fight seven cadres of NSCN (K) were killed, and three Over Ground Workers (OGWs) were injured.
The security forces displayed a very higher order of restraint and fire discipline to ensure that the OGWs did not suffer fatal injuries during the fire fight, it claimed.
A large quantity of arms and ammunition has been recovered from the neutralised cadres, it said.
One soldier of security forces was also injured in the firing from NSCN (K) cadres, it claimed.
the statement claimed that the cadres who have been killed were from the NSCN (K) camp located at Ponyu Village inside Myanmar and belong to the group headed by SS Lt Gen Niki Sumi.
There have been regular inputs of movement of NSCN(K) cadres from camps located inside Myanmar to the border villages of India for collection of extortion money (sent from Dimapur, Kohima etc), illegal taxation from villagers, purchase of ration and other daily necessities, it continued.
The trans border movement of the NSCN (K) cadres was being carried out under the garb of Free Movement Regime existing between the two countries, it said.
However, since the rules of Free Movement Regime are not being implemented effectively by the border administrations, the loopholes are being exploited by the anti-social elements including cadres of NSCN (K), ULFA (I), and NDFB (S) etc for unhindered movement across the border, the release said.