This story is from November 20, 2016

DGP Assam Police Mukesh Sahay at spot after three Indian army troopers were killed and four other critically injured suspected ULFA(I) militants ambushed then at Pengri in Tinsukia district, Assam, on Saturday.

DIBRUGARH/GUWAHATI: In one of the biggest attacks on security forces in Assam in two decades, three Army jawans were killed and four seriously injured when suspected Ulfa (Independent) and NSCN(K) militants ambushed their convoy after triggering an IED blast in Pengeri area in Tinsukia district on Saturday.The convoy of 15 Kumaon Regiment was returning from Pengeri to Digboi at 5.30am after a counter-insurgency operation when the militants struck. The blast sent the 2.5-tonne truck flying in the air before it landed several metres away.The militants then began firing at the security personnel using automatic rifles and rocket-propelled grenades. A gypsy transporting six soldiers bore the brunt of the firing as it stood exposed in the middle of the road.While Havildar Multan Singh was killed on the spot, Havildar Rishipal Singh and Naik Narpat Singh died on the way to Dinjan Army Hospital in Tinsukia. Four other jawans –– Manoj Singh, Virendra Singh, Bikram Chand and Satyendra Pratap Singh –– who were injured, were first taken to Assam Oil Division Hospital in Digboi and then airlifted to the military hospital.“In three decades of counter-insurgency operations, we had almost reined in Ulfa-I. The recent incidents are temporary setbacks,” said Assam DGP Mukesh Sahay.Home minister Rajnath Singh spoke to CM Sarbananda Sonowal . Singh said the ministry was monitoring the situation. Sonowal told reporters that the attackers would get a befitting reply. Army spokesperson Lt Col Suneet Newton said the Army has launched a massive combing operation to nab the militants.“ We believe no less than 15 ultras were involved,” Tinsukia SP Mugdhajyoti Mahanta said. Four rocket-propelled grenade shells, IED splinters and countless empty AK-47 cartridges were found at the ambush site.In Video: Assam: Three jawans martyred in gunbattle, encounter underway</s>Assam police chief Mukesh Sahay at the spot after three soldiers were killed and four others injured in an ambush by militants at Pengri in Tinsukia district on Saturday.

The attack was carried out by a group of 15 militants in which two vehicles, a jeep and a truck, were destroyed.

Three Army jawans were killed and four injured when an Army convoy was attacked on Saturday by suspected militants of the United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) and the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN-K) at Pengeri in Tinsukia district of Assam.

“The ambush happened around 5.30 a.m. Militants had planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the road. When the convoy stopped after the explosion, the militants fired indiscriminately on the soldiers,” Army sources said.

They added that the attack was carried out by a group of 15 militants in which two vehicles, a jeep and a truck, were destroyed.

One soldier was killed on the spot while two soldiers succumbed to injuries on the way to the hospital, Defence Ministry officials said. The three dead soldiers have been identified as Havildar Multan Singh, Havildar Rishipal Singh and Naik Narpat Singh.

The four injured jawans were airlifted to a nearby Army base hospital.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh spoke to Assam Chief Minister Sarbananda Sonowal and took stock of the situation. “Spoke to Assam CM who apprised me of the situation in the wake of blast in Tinsukia,” he later tweeted.</s>A search is on to find the militants involved in the ambush.

Three Army jawans were killed and another four injured in an early morning attack on an Army convoy by suspected militants of United Liberation Front of Assam (ULFA) in Tinsukia district of Assam.

“IED blast, Tinsukia Update. Three soldiers martyred and four soldiers injured. Search operation is on,” the Army’s Eastern Command said in a tweet.

“The ambush happened at around 5.30 am on Saturday morning. Militants had planted an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) on the road. When the IED exploded, the convoy stopped. Then the militants fired indiscriminately in which three jawans were killed,” Army sources said.

The three soldiers have been identified as Hav Multan Singh, Hav Rishipal Singh and Naik Narpat Singh.

According to sources the incident took place inside a reserve forest near Digboi in Tinsukia district of Assam. The injured jawans were airlifted to nearby Army base hospital.

Officials said that the area is thickly forested which facilitated the militants to escape. Security forces launched a massive search operation to seal the area and apprehend the militants.</s>Heavily armed militants of the outlawed United Liberation Front of Asom (ULFA) ambushed an army convoy near the Pengeri reserve forest in the eastern Assam district of Tinsukia, about 550 km (340 miles) from the state's main city of Guwahati.

The ULFA has been fighting for an independent homeland in Assam since 1979. It now operates out of bases in Myanmar, bordering Assam.

"Militants belonging to the ULFA militants attacked the army convoy with rocket propelled grenades, hitting a truck and a jeep. Three soldiers were killed and four critically injured in the attack," Mukesh Agarwalla, Assam’s additional police chief, told Reuters.

The injured were airlifted to a nearby army base hospital with multiple wounds, according to the officials.

"The area is thickly forested and that gave the militants an edge to attack and escape immediately after the strike," an army commander said, requesting not to be identified.

Army, police, and paramilitary troopers have since launched a massive hunt for the rebels and to seal escape routes, an army official said.</s>Hatisor Village, Assam: Archana Tamang, a 35-year-old owner of a photo studio at Hatisor village in western Assam often complained about the remoteness of her village on the Bhutan border.

Now, it’s precisely this geography that’s come to her rescue.

To overcome the cash crunch, people in this border village are using Bhutanese currency whose value has jumped as much as 25 per cent to match Indian currency.

In the border area of Dadguri, Bhutanese currency is easily accepted as retailers and grocery shop owners get their stocks from Bhutan.

“There is problem but whatever is done is being done good. We are lucky that here Bhutanese Currency is accepted,” said Ms Tamang and added, “Here in our border area there is no bank, no ATM. We can’t withdraw cash. Till now we haven’t seen new currency.

The first time anyone here has seen the new Rs. 2,000 note is the one we were carrying with us. The nearest bank branch is 50 kilometers away and road connectivity is a challenge.

A mobile van of the State Bank of India comes here thrice a week but for deposit collections.

The district administration says they have now asked SBI to dispense cash as well.

“Right now the people from that area come over to Kajolgoan or Daligoan to exchange the new notes for Rs. 500 and 1000. The Runikhata Branch that close to the village too has shifted four years back,” says Vinod Deka, Deputy Commissioner of Chiang district that administers the village.

State Bank of India’s mobile van is expected to give out cash next week. Until then, people in this border village are using Bhutanese currency to buy their daily needs.</s>One person was killed and two CRPF jawans were injured in three blasts triggered by unidentified outfits here on Sunday.

Binod Roy was killed in an IED (improvised explosive devise) explosion in the Singjamei Chingamathak area near an Assam Rifles camp in the morning, police officials said.

Another explosion took place around 5 p.m. at BT Road near M-sector, a few metres away from the camp of the Assam Rifles.

A spokesman of the Assam Rifles said no jawan was injured in the blast.

About 10 minutes later, another blast occurred within the All India Radio complex, injuring two CRPF jawans, police officials said.

The explosions took place ahead of the 10-day Sangai festival in the Manipur capital from Monday.
Three soldiers are killed in an ambush in Assam.