Seven suspected HuJI terrorists killed in Assam

Guwahati (Assam): Seven suspected Harkat-ul-Jihad-al-Islami (HuJI) terrorists were killed and an army officer injured on Friday during a gunbattle in Assam's Dhubri district, officials said.

The gunbattle took place before dawn near Basbari village in Dhubri district, about 270 km west of Assam's main city Guwahati.

"As of now we can say the dead terrorists came from Bangladesh and probably belong to the HuJI," Col J.S. Shekhawat, commanding officer of the 21 Jat Regiment that conducted the raid, told reporters.

"Based on intelligence reports that there was some movement of terrorists, an army column laid an ambush. The terrorists challenged the soldiers and soon there was a gunbattle in which seven of the militants were killed," Col. Rajesh Kalia, a defence spokesperson, said.

A large cache of small arms, including six revolvers, about two kilograms of RDX, grenades, gelatine sticks and wireless sets were seized from the dead terrorists.

"Bangladeshi currency notes and cigarette packets made in Bangladesh were recovered from the dead terrorists," Kalia said.

HuJI is a Pakistan-based terrorist group with an affiliate in Bangladesh. Dhubri district borders Bangladesh and militants are known to enter India from the adjoining country, taking advantage of the unfenced border and poorly patrolled rivers that form the border in many places.

Source: TImes of India