The entire top leadership of KPLT insurgent group has been apprehended by the Army in a joint operation with Assam Police in the treacherous terrains of West Karbi Anglong area of Assam.



Based on intelligence inputs, the Army's Red Horn Division, along with Assam Police, had launched one of the biggest offensives against the dreaded terrorists of Karbi Peoples Liberation Tigers (KPLT) on the night of February 14.



First to be arrested were the self styled Finance Secretary and Auditor with one more cadre from village Rongscope in the wee hours of February 15, Army sources said.



The three terrorists gave leads which led to busting of a major hideout in Amring Forest area near Tapat hamlet yesterday.



Army apprehended seven more terrorists including the Commander-in-Chief, deputy chief and area commanders besides recovering large quantities of arms and ammunitions from this hideout.



Interrogation of the seven KPLT ultras had given the Army leads about presence of some of their cadres in Lacheng area in Hamren Sub Division.



"The Army and Police immediately launched multiple teams to cordon the area. Today, the joint team came under fire from the terrorists holed up in a hut. The terrorists ran towards the forests firing indiscriminately. The joint team immediately fired in self defence," the sources said.



Eventually, Army apprehended five more terrorists, after a fire fight that lasted for almost 35 minutes, and seized weapons and ammunition.



Today's arrest of five terrorists takes the count of hardcore KPLT terrorists apprehended so far by the Red Horn Division in last three days to a total of 15.



Army described it as "one of the most successful anti- terrorist operations" by it in North East.



"The operation has decimated the organisation and almost completely wiped out the dreaded KPLT from West Karbi Anglong district of Assam facilitating return of peace in the poorly developed region," the Army said.



On February 10, KPLT's Chairman Donri Kramsa was apprehended from Parokhuwa Bazar near Dokmoka town in Karbi Anglong district.



Various terrorist groups across the state have been on the run since the time the security forces intensified their operation against them post the massacre of around 72 adivasis in Sonitpur and Kokrajhar Districts of Assam in December last year.



KPLT has been involved in the poaching of rhinos in the Kaziranga National Park in Golaghat district of the state.



A breakaway faction of Karbi Longri National Liberation Front (KLNLF), KPLT was formed in 2011 with an objective to carve an Autonomous Karbi State out of Assam.