One injured as militants open fire on Assam Rifles team near Arunachal’s Pangsau Pass

Itanagar, March 27: An Assam Rifles personnel was injured after suspected militants opened fire on a team engaged in border fencing work along the India–Myanmar frontier in Arunachal Pradesh’s Changlang district.

Officials said the militants, suspected members of the NSCN-K-YA resorted to unprovoked firing, reportedly opposing the ongoing border fencing work. The Assam Rifles personnel retaliated, leading to a brief exchange of fire.

The militants fled the area following the exchange, while the injured personnel was provided immediate medical attention.

Security forces have since cordoned off the region and launched search operations to track down those involved.

The incident occurred around 5:30 pm on Thursday near the strategic Pangsau Pass, when the militants reportedly fired from across the Myanmar side of the border.

The latest incident underscores a continuing pattern of militant activity along the India–Myanmar border in Arunachal Pradesh.

In January this year, suspected insurgents had opened fire on an Assam Rifles base near the border in Changlang district on Republic Day, triggering a security alert in the region.

Earlier, in October 2025, the NSCN-K-YA had claimed responsibility for an attack on an Assam Rifles post in Arunachal Pradesh.

Security agencies have noted that such attacks are often linked to resistance against border infrastructure projects, particularly fencing, which insurgent groups view as a threat to their cross-border movement.

The porous border and presence of insurgent groups such as NSCN-K-YA have continued to pose operational difficulties, particularly in sensitive zones like Pangsau Pass, which holds both strategic and logistical significance.

With inputs from PTI