Assam cop killed in firing during eviction drive

An Assam Police constable was killed and two Forest Department personnel were injured on Sunday when unidentified persons from across the Nagaland border fired on securitymen and workers who were evicting encroachers at Doldoli Reserve Forest in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district.

Constable Arnab Baruah, belonging to 2nd Assam Police Task Force, died on way to hospital, while the two forest officials were admitted to a hospital with bullet injuries, Additional Superintendent of Police (Border) Nanda Singh said in Guwahati.

With the police retaliating, the gunmen fired throughout the day from their bunkers at the security and forest men in the Doldoli Reserve Forest land at Dikoibari, Singh  said.

Firing from INSAS rifles, other light machine guns and rocket launchers, Singh said, the attackers also hurled bombs at the labourers and officials carrying out the eviction drive. About 150 illegally constructed houses were pulled down in the forest area falling under Diphu police station during the operation Sunday, the ASP said.