Militants of the banned National Liberation Front of Tripura (Biswamohan faction) on Tuesday ambushed two vehicles of para-military Territorial Army killing 17 people and injuring two persons at Dangabari in South Tripura district.
While 16 persons, including 13 Territorial Army jawans and one militant, were killed on the spot, three jawans were seriously injured.
One jawan succumbed to his injuries on way to Amarpur hospital, the police said.
Two General Engineering Reserve Force drivers were also among those killed.
The jawans were in the area to provide security to the GREF personnel who were engaged in construction of Ambassa-Amarpur road in the remote area.
They were fired upon by the militants at Dangabari, 16 km from Birganj police station, when they were moving in two vehicles, the police said.
Superintendent of Police (operation) Nepal Das said that the militants snatched away 15 AK series rifles, one light machine gun along with huge cache of ammunition from the para-military force.
Additional Director General of Police Pranay Sahaya and Inspector General of police Akhil Shukla have rushed to the spot to monitor the ongoing combing operation by the security forces.
{{/usCountry}}Additional Director General of Police Pranay Sahaya and Inspector General of police Akhil Shukla have rushed to the spot to monitor the ongoing combing operation by the security forces.
{{/usCountry}}Earlier, nine jawans of the Territorial Army were killed in another ambush by NLFT (BM) group at Joychandra Shikaripara in Dhalai district on October 9, 2002.