Bordumsa: A girl was injured after security forces opened fire on a vehicle suspected of transporting militants during a counter-insurgency operation in the Lal Pahar area of Arunachal Pradesh’s Namsai district on Saturday morning.
The incident took place in the Lal Pahar area, about 8 km from Namsai town and 12–15 km from the Golden Pagoda at Tengapani.
The area, located along the Namsai–Lathao–Golden Pagoda Road, passes through reserve forests where security agencies maintain a vigil over suspected militant movement.
According to preliminary information, security personnel attempted to intercept a suspicious van after receiving intelligence inputs about militant movement. Officials said the vehicle allegedly ignored repeated signals to stop and tried to flee, prompting security forces to open fire.
A girl travelling in the vehicle sustained bullet injuries and was taken to a nearby hospital for treatment. Her condition was reported to be stable. The identities of the vehicle’s occupants and whether any suspected militants were among them had not been officially confirmed till the filing of this report.
Following the incident, security forces cordoned off the area and launched a combing operation in the surrounding reserve forest to search for any suspected militants who may have escaped. Senior police and security officials reached the spot to supervise the operation.
Authorities have launched an investigation to determine the sequence of events and ascertain whether standard operating procedures were followed during the interception.
Repeated attempts by this correspondent to contact Namsai Superintendent of Police Sangey Thinley for an official update were unsuccessful, as calls went unanswered till the filing of this report. An official statement from the police and security agencies is awaited.
The Lal Pahar area has witnessed counter-insurgency operations in the past due to suspected militant movement through the surrounding reserve forests. Security forces continue to maintain surveillance and conduct intelligence-based operations in the area.
Further details are awaited.