Army jawan killed in encounter with NDFB

Guwahati, April 17 (IANS) An Indian army soldier was killed in a gun battle with militants of the anti-talk faction of the National Democratic Front of Bodoland (NDFB) in Assam's Sonitpur district Wednesday, officials said.

The incident took place at a remote area called Chariduar, along the Assam-Arunachal Pradesh border, officials said.

An army spokesman based in Guwahati confirmed the incident, and said militants had fired upon a routine patrol of the army in the area, leading to a gun battle. "One of the bullets hit a jawan," the army spokesman said.

The forces, however, could manage to apprehend one of the militants while the rest of the group managed to escape, he said.

The deceased jawan was identified as Raju Kumar of 7 Bihar Regiment.