Dibrugarh, Sept. 13: The army has destroyed an advanced headquarters of the banned Ulfa in the Ajukha area of the Dibru-Saikhowa National Park. The rebels, however, managed to flee and relocate the headquarters of the outfit?s 28 battalion in Changlang district of Arunachal Pradesh.

?The special operations launched by the army commandos was called off last night after it was confirmed that the militants had escaped,? a senior army official said over phone from the headquarters of the 2 Mountain Division at Dinjan.

Army commandos had fanned out into the national park after intelligence agencies confirmed that the Ulfa had established its advanced headquarters in its interiors.

?We had information that 40 militants, led by Jiten Dutta, had set up their advanced headquarters in the park and we ordered our commandos to move in and strike. However, the militants, who were better acquainted with the terrain, managed to flee. We now have information that they have moved the camp inside the jungles of Changlang district,? the army official said.

The army found a generator set, some camp materials and documents at the deserted camp.

The security forces have intensified operations in Changlang district. Troops of the Assam Rifles gunned down an Ulfa militant in the Pinjori area of Changlang last night. The other militants fled.

?We also have information about a 16-member group moving around the Sathin Basti under the Khimyong circle,? Changlang superintendent of police S. Tamang said over phone.

?The rebels are members of the group, which fled the advanced headquarters in the national park and have dropped anchor there,? the army official said.

The Ulfa used the advanced headquarters to launch operations in Upper Assam. The Dhemaji blast on Independence Day, which killed 13 people, was co-ordinated from the camp.

Acting on information provided an Ulfa militant arrested on September 2, Dibrugarh police have rounded up at least 20 people for allegedly harbouring members of the outfit. Though the development is yet to be confirmed, sources identified the militant as Dul Sonowal, one of the three rebels involved in the attack on the police near Moran recently. A police commando had been killed in the encounter.

Another militant, Numal Chetia, who was shot in the eye, is undergoing treatment at the Assam Medical College and Hospitals here.

Forces scuffle

An Assam Rifles major was injured in a scuffle with Indian Reserve Battalion (IRB) personnel on Monday at Keisampat in Imphal West district of Manipur, reports PTI. A source said Maj. K.P. Singh, attached to DIG range office at Kangla and some of his men had a heated argument with a shopkeeper at Keisampat.

According to sources, the IRB personnel deployed tried to stop the quarrel. Soon a scuffle broke out between Singh, his guards and IRB personnel.