Four Assam Police commandos sustained injuries in a pre-dawn assault on a commando battalion camp in Jagun, Tinsukia district, close to the border with Arunachal Pradesh. The incident, which occurred around 2:00 AM on Sunday, involved suspected militants employing rocket-propelled grenades (RPGs) and indiscriminate firing. The United Liberation Front of Assam (Independent), an outlawed group, has claimed responsibility for the attack.
Three of the four injured personnel suffered grievous wounds and required immediate hospitalization, with two identified as having burn injuries. They were subsequently transferred to the Assam Medical College and Hospital in Dibrugarh for further treatment. Senior police officials visited the site, and security forces have initiated joint operations, including combing and search missions, involving personnel from Assam and Arunachal Pradesh police, along with the CRPF and Assam Rifles.
The assailants allegedly launched multiple RPG shells and grenades at the camp before engaging in a brief exchange of gunfire with security personnel. Following the attack, the militants fled the scene. The group’s shift towards "hit-and-run" tactics, utilizing grenades, improvised explosive devices (IEDs), and sophisticated weapons like RPGs, has been noted in recent years following increased counter-insurgency operations.
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This incident occurs against the backdrop of upcoming assembly elections in Assam, scheduled for April 9. Security has been heightened across the state, particularly in Upper Assam and along inter-state borders, with additional forces deployed and surveillance intensified in vulnerable areas.
The ULFA (Independent), described as a hardliner or anti-talk faction of the original ULFA, is known to be active in the Upper Assam border areas. Reports suggest the outfit, estimated to have around 150-300 cadres, has a history of targeting security forces and has previously accused Indian armed forces of drone and missile strikes on its camps along the India-Myanmar border. Tinsukia district itself has a history of being significantly affected by insurgency.
