Dibrugarh, Aug. 26: Army last night launched an anti-insurgency operation in Arunachal Pradesh jointly with police, surrounding several heavily-armed Ulfa cadre in the deep jungles of Lower Dibang Valley and East Siang districts.

Troops of the 5 Madras Regiment and several dozen policemen moved into the area under cover of darkness.

The operation was launched after it was given final shape at a high-level security meeting held at the divisional headquarters of the army?s 2 Mountain Division recently.

According to initial reports, one Ritu Bora, an Ulfa area commander, has been killed and two other Ulfa militants have been arrested. A soldier and a policeman have been critically injured in the operation.

Police constable Mandip Misra, who was rushed to a private nursing home here this morning, sustained two bullet injuries and is being operated upon.

Col A.K. Singh, commanding officer of 5 Madras Regiment, said over phone that the operation is still on and may last for some more days.

?This is the very initial part of the operation and, therefore, we are not in a position to say more on it,? Singh, who is leading the operation, said.

When contacted, state director-general of police, Amodh Kant, too, declined to comment on the operation.

Sources, however, said at least 50 to 80 Ulfa activists, including several women cadre, belonging to the outfit?s 28 battalion had been ?surrounded? by the forces and more reinforcements had been called for, including air support.

?The terrain is very much tough. Therefore, we will need more reinforcements in the next couple of days if the operation continues for a week or so,? a source said.

Arunachal Pradesh had recently expressed serious concern over the growth of Ulfa-related activities on its soil.

?In earlier days, too, there was presence of Ulfa cadre in some areas of the state, but at that time they were only using our territory as mere transit routes. However, now they have started establishing camps and are involved in extortion also,? a senior police official said.

The Ulfa had shifted its camps to the eastern part of the state after the Bhutan operation and had been gradually spreading its domain from Tirap, Changlang and Lohit to Lower and Upper Dibang Valley and East Siang districts.

The Ulfa had always used the Arunachal Pradesh districts bordering Assam to carry out hit-and-run operations in different districts of Upper Assam.

Assam chief minister Tarun Gogoi has taken up the matter with the Union home ministry in the past to persuade the Arunachal Pradesh government to launch a counter-offensive against the Ulfa.