Five HNLC militants nabbed in Assam

Five cadres of militant outfit Hynniewtrep National Liberation Council (HNLC) have been arrested and a huge cache of arms and ammunition seized in Assam, an official said on Wednesday.

The arrests were made in a joint operation by the Army and Assam Police, said Defence spokesman Lt. Col. Suneet Newton. He added that search operations had been launched at multiple locations in the state's West Karbi Anglong district.

The spokesman said the recovery included two G3 rifles, one 303 rifle (factory-made), one 7.62 mm pistol (factory-made), one single barrel gun (factory-made), 10 kg explosives, 40 detonators and 66 live rounds.

"Based on specific intelligence about presence of HNLC Cadres, a unit of the Red Horns Division and the police launched a series of operations at multiple locations in West Karbi Anglong District of Assam since Monday," he said.

Two days ago, the Army had conducted a similarly successful operation in the East Karbi Anglong district, where another terrorist hideout -- of the Kuki Liberation Front -- was busted and a senior functionary of the group apprehended with arms and ammunition.

--IANS

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