Top UPRF militant killed in encounter in Assam: Police

Guwahati/Diphu:

Martin Guite, the self-styled ‘chairman’ of militant outfit United People’s Revolutionary Front (UPRF), has been killed in a night-long encounter in Assam’s Karbi Anglong district, police said on Tuesday.

Acting on a tip-off, a police team launched a search operation in the forests of Singhasan Hill on Monday night, a senior police officer from Karbi Anglong said.

The UPRF militants opened fire on the police team, to which the personnel retaliated, leading to an exchange of fire that lasted till early in the morning, he said.

“When we searched the area after sunrise, we found Guite lying there,” the officer said.

Confirming the development, Additional Director General of Police (Law and Order) Gyanendra Pratap Singh tweeted: “Late last evening, Martin Guite, SS Chairman of UPRF, an insurgent group active in Karbi Anglong, was wounded and later declared dead in exchange of fire with team of @assampolice in Manja PS area of Karbi Anglong.”

The police team also seized a 7.65 mm pistol and four cartridges from the spot, the district police officer said.

A search operation is underway to nab more militants of the outfit, he added.