Suspected militants in Assam’s Tinsukia district on Tuesday allegedly set ablaze nine oil tankers coming from Kharsang in Changlang district of Arunahcal Pradesh, The Times of India reported. No casualties have been reported as of yet.
The police suspect the militants belong to the Khaplang faction of the National Socialist Council of Nagaland.
The fleet of oil tankers were to reach the Digboi oil refinery when the incident took place near Namphai Reserve Forest. Citing threats from militant groups, the tankers had been provided police protection from Namchik Gate to the oil refinery, The Times of India reported.
Fire tenders were brought in from Digboi, Margherita, Kharsang and Duliajan in Assam. Security has been heightened in the area. The attackers are also believed to have taken away one tanker and snatched the cellphones of the drivers.
“We suspect that NSCN (K) militants are behind the incident since the anti-talks faction has a strong presence in the area along the inter-state border,” an unidentified police official told IANS.
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