Superintendent of Police, Hamren Police district in central Assam’s Karbi Anglong hill district, Nityananda Goswami and his personal security officer (PSO) Ratul Nunisa died in a fierce gun battle with a group of about 15-20 militants in a jungle close to the Assam-Meghalaya border at Rongfugaon in Hamren sub-division of the hill district late on Thursday afternoon.
Additional Director-General of Police A.P. Rout told The Hindu that cadres of two militant outfits—Karbi People’s Liberation Tigers(KPLT) and United People’s Liberation Front(UPLF), a new lesser-known militant outfit were suspected to be involved in the battle.
He said the SP and his PSO displayed “gallant action and exemplary courage” by engaging themselves in the exchange of fire with the group of militants on such a difficult terrain. The SP had only about two years left to retire from service. The body of the slain police official was sent to the city for post mortem and it is expected to reach here later in the night.
Giving details of the encounter, the ADGP said the SP, an additional SP and Officer-in-charge of Hamren Police station, had gone to the place along with 15 policemen, including the PSO, after the SP had got a tip-off about presence of militants in the area. They split into three groups— led by the SP, the additional SP and the third by the Officer-in-Charge. Around 4.30 pm, the SP and his team came across two militants and challenged them.
“Suddenly, about 15-20 militants appeared from the jungle and started firing on the police team, led by the SP. As the gun battle ensued, the SP and his PSO got separated from the four policemen in his team. Their bodies were recovered on Friday morning,” added Mr. Rout.
