IMPHAL, December 7: Tunnel no 10 of the under-construction rail line at Okoklong lying in between Jiribam and Tupul was attacked twice yesterday by suspected hill-based militants wielding sophisticated arms.
In the first instance, around 12:15pm yesterday, the suspected militants fired several rounds from their weapons at the tunnel work site which is guarded by personnel o the 6 IRB.
The attack prompted the IRB personnel to return fire resulting in a gun-fight lasting some minutes, sources informed IFP.
The suspected militants soon took cover of the dense bushes and fled from the scene, sources added while adding that no injuries were reported on the side of the IRB personnel and workers at the construction site.
It is also learnt that later around 9pm, the militants fired again at the work site from above the hills on the Kambiron side which is about one and a half km away from the tunnel to which the security personnel had also reiterated.
Sources also informed that no one was injured in the second skirmish as well.
Mentioned may be made that armed UG cadres had attacked the rail line construction work several times earlier.