Changlang villagers flee as NSCN factions clash

ITANAGAR, March 26 ? The residents of a village, located about 14 km from insurgencey-affected Changlang district headquarters, fled in panic recently after a fierce battle broke out between two factions of the NSCN, reports PTI. Top police officials told PTI here that the village, Sachin, located atop a hill, turned into a battlefield as rival followers of the Issac Muivah and Khaplang factions of the NSCN fought a bloody battle for close to four hours in the wee hours of Monday with AK-47 and 56 rifles, 7.62 SLR, America-made M-21 and hand grenades. A team of senior police officials, including the DC, SP and senior officials of 28 Assam Rifles with reinforcement, visited the village. Empty cartridges littering the village roads and blood stains were found by the team, the sources said adding casualty, if any, and the number of injured were not known as the militants had escaped bag and baggage after the encounter. The NSCN(IM) and NSCN(K) factions have been engaged in a desperate battle for supremacy in the Changlang and Tirap districts for quite sometime. The deputy commissioner has, meanwhile, appealed to the villagers to return to their homes.