Guwahati: According to an official, two members of the anti-talks faction of the militant group Kamtapur Liberation Organisation (KLO) were killed on Monday in the Kokrajhar district of Assam during a joint operation by the police and the CRPF.
Four more of the group's members were also captured. Abhijit Deka, from Udalguri, and Nipun Ray, from the Bongaigaon district, have been named as the victims.
Assam Police Inspector General Prasanta Kumar Bhuyan told IANS, "Based on specific input regarding movement and training camp of KLO (KN) cadres in Chakrashila hill and surrounding jungle in the district, a search operation was launched at 4 a.m. by a joint team of Assam Police and CRPF."
Two camps discovered by the joint team were destroyed in the course of the search operation. IED components, explosives, wires, and logistics equipment were all found and confiscated in huge quantities.The ambush team successfully captured four cadres who had attempted to flee. Around 12:30 p.m., the operation team spotted a small group of cadres heading through the bush. An order to cease was issued. However, the criminals opened fire on the rescue workers. The group replied in a measured fashion in self-defense.
"After the firing ceased, an area search was done, and the team noticed two injured persons. Two pistols were also lying near them. They were immediately shifted to the hospital but the doctors declared them dead," Bhuyan said.
Currently, three sections of KLO are active.
Peace discussions are underway between Jeevan Singha's faction and the Central government.
However, the other two factions are still not ready to come to the table for talks, a senior police officer said.—Inputs from Agencies