Insurgent outfit United Liberation Front of Asom-Independent (ULFA-I) has claimed responsibility for the ambush on an Army patrol party in Tinsukia district of eastern Assam that took place on Monday.
The ULFA-I in an emailed statement on Tuesday said that the attack has been named as ‘Operation Lakhipathar’.
The statement read, "ULFA-I attacked on the army team at around 7.45 am on November 14 to mark their 'Protest Day' which they observe on November 28."
During an area domination exercise, the Army team was ambushed on the Pengeri-Digboi Road in Barpathar area on Monday morning.
The militants exploded an IED on the leading mine-protected vehicle (MPV), and fired around 20-30 rounds.
The Army has claimed that it has not suffered any casualty except for a punctured tyre, and in retaliatory firing, at least one ULFA(I) cadre was “seriously injured as was apparent from splattered blood stains found in the forest area”.
The Digboi-Pengeri road has hence been shut down temporarily due to security reasons.
Meanwhile, the Assam Police on Tuesday arrested a linkman of the ULFA-I in Jorhat district. Sources said that the apprehended linkman allegedly aided ULFA-I militants in the ambush attack.
