Itanagar: A brief but intense exchange of fire took place between Indian security forces and suspected militants near the India-Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh’s Longding district, a defence official confirmed on Friday.
The encounter occurred on Thursday during a routine patrol in the Pongchau circle, close to the international border.
According to the official, troops observed suspicious movement by a group of armed individuals and challenged them.
“In response, the suspects opened indiscriminate fire on the patrol team, prompting a swift retaliatory action by our personnel,” the defence spokesperson said.
The gunmen eventually retreated and managed to escape across the border into Myanmar, using the cover of the dense forest terrain, the spokesperson added.
The patrol operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs regarding cross-border movement in the Pongchau area, which has previously seen occasional militant activity due to its proximity to insurgent routes.
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Security forces conducted a thorough search of the area following the exchange of fire, but no casualties or recoveries were reported.
Officials believe the militants took advantage of the thick vegetation and the porous international border to evade capture.
The incident underscores the continuing security challenges faced along the Arunachal-Myanmar border, where insurgent groups are known to operate and occasionally attempt cross-border infiltration.
