Lamka, September 09: An Assam Rifles jawan who was due to retire next month was killed in an ambush yesterday at Singngat, about 35 kms from here, fuelling the first armed violence in the district ever since the UPF and the KNO entered into the Suspension of Operation agreement with the Government.

Fifteen jawans from 9 AR who were on patrol were waylaid near Singngat cemetery, about two kilometers from its battalion headquarters at Singngat by suspected PLA activists from two positions, killing a fifty-eight-year-old Subedar at the spot, police sources said today.

Two live RPG shells and numerous empty cases of M-16 and AK Rifles were recovered from the ambush site where Subedar Bikrama Sharma (58) of Dhobari village in Bihar was killed, added the source.

Sharma who was reportedly set to retire by October 1 and the man in-charge of the patrol party bore bullet injuries on his forehead, right thigh and right palm.

The Assam Rifles has re-claimed the body after post-mortem was conducted at the district hospital here today.

Following the ambush, the source said, an encounter ensued for about five minutes before the militants made good of their escape under the rain.

No other casualties were reported from either side of the party.

Meanwhile, the proscribed PLA has claimed responsibility for the ambush.

In a statement, the outfit said that that one JCO rank officer of the 9 Assam Rifles has been slain and many others wounded in the attack carried out by PLA cadres at near Singhat Cemetery yesterday.

Self styled assistant secretary of the RPF's communication and publicity Lily Leima contended that 19 PLA cadres led by a Sergeant Major of its A Coy (252 Bn) were on patrol duty (alert) when they came across the AR team and engaged them in a gun-fight consequently resulting in the slaying of the AR JCO besides wounding many others.

The PLA cadres have returned to the hideout safe and sound, Lily Leima maintained.