The Army shot dead two militants of the United Liberation Front of Assom in an anti-insurgency operation in North Assam on Sunday. A satellite phone as well as arms and ammunition were recovered from the slain militants.

Security sources said that two ULFA militants, who were hiding in a house at Bhergaon village in North Assam's Mangaldoi district, were killed by the Army after an hour-long encounter.

The Army recovered one satellite phone, one 9 mm pistol, one .38 revolver and one mobile phone from the slain ultras. The satellite phone has whipped up speculations that one of the two slain militants could be a very senior leader of the outfit.

Usually, satellite phones are carried by senior ULFA leaders above the rank of a battalion commander. The area where the encounter took place is within the operational area of the 709 battalion of the ULFA, which is led by Hira Sarania, the most wanted ULFA commander.