Itanagar: An Assam Rifles personnel was injured in exchange of fire between NSCN (IM) cadre, Assam Rifles and police personnel at Soha village in troubled Tirap district of the state, Tirap SP Vikramjit Singh said on Sunday.
The exchange of fire started late Saturday evening and lasted for about three hours, he said.
Trouble began when the cadre of the rebel outfit allegedly started assaulting medical staff including doctors at Soha after they refused to give extortion money, the SP said.
The medical staff, however, managed to escape from the area.
On receiving the news, the Circle Officer of Soha police station along with few constables rushed to the village, but the road was blocked by heavily armed 50-odd insurgents who directed them to go back.
When the officials refused to return, the insurgents reportedly fired upon them, setting the police vehicle afire and damaging power and electric supply lines, which prompted the police and the Assam Rifles` personnel to retaliate.
An Assam Rifles man suffered minor injuries, he said.
On receiving the report, CRPF personnel rushed to the village, about 27 km from Deomali, as reinforcement, the SP said.
"We don`t have specific information but as per our source, the NSCN cadre numbered around 40 and were heavily armed. Since then reinforcement team from Khonsa has been sent to the area and security forces have launched massive manhunt around the area," the SP added.
Tirap district along with Changlang and Longding are declared disturbed under the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, 1958.
PTI
