Tinsukia, 09 February (HS): A top cadre of the United Liberation Front of Assam-Swatantra (ULFA-SW) was gunned down by security forces in an encounter on Thursday in Margherita sub-division of Assam's Tinsukia district.

The encounter took place around 1.30 am on the intervening night of Wednesday-Thursday at Tikak Malo hill located in Lido of Margherita sub-division. The security forces along with a team of district police launched the operation based on intelligence inputs, according to police sources.

A group of ULFA-SW was camping on Tikak hill. Meanwhile, armed militants attacked the Joint Security Force which had arrived late at night to conduct the operation. The security forces retaliated.

After several rounds of firing, the militant side fell silent. He was lying on the ground with a sophisticated weapon in his hand. He was taken to the nearest hospital. The doctor on duty at the hospital declared him brought dead. Police sources claimed that the slain ULFA-self cadre was Uttam Lahan alias self-styled Sergeant Major Uday Assam.

Uttam Lahan was the third child of the late Padu Lahan and Ganita Lahan, a resident of Purni Jabka village under the Sonari police station of Charaideo district. In 2012, he left home for work. He has since joined ULFA-SW. ULFA-self chief Paresh Baruah named him Uday Assam. Police and security forces are continuing the search operation in the hills to nab other militants.

Hindusthan Samachar / Vaibhav/Arvind/Indrani Sarkar