A top commander of the Kuki-Chin National Army (KNA), armed wing of the banned separatist group Kuki-Chin National Front (KNF) was among those killed in a military operation in the hilly region of Bandarban early Thursday. The slain leader, known by his alias Captain Putin, was identified as Lal Min Sang, 27, the mastermind behind the dramatic 2024 Sonali Bank robbery in Ruma and the looting of police firearms.
According to security forces and local sources, another KNF member, Lal Him Sang Bom, 25, also known as Ahim, was killed alongside the commander. Ahim, holding the rank of ‘soldier’ within the KNF, was from Munnuam Para, Ruma Upazila.
Lal Min Sang, a native of Mualpi Para, initially rose within KNF ranks as a strategic thinker. However, his leadership in armed missions — most notably the 2024 bank heist — earned him command of field operations. His family, including his father Ita Jauthan Bom, reportedly relocated to India’s Mizoram some time ago.
After fleeing to Mizoram following the robbery, Putin is believed to have returned recently with a small group to reestablish armed activities in the hill tracts. His renewed campaign was abruptly ended in a pre-dawn encounter with the army on Thursday.
The military recovered a significant stockpile of weapons and intelligence documents from the encounter site, including: three sub-machine guns (one Chinese-made, two from Myanmar), one Chinese-manufactured rifle, eight magazines and over 450 rounds of various caliber ammunition, military uniforms, wireless sets, smartphones and classified documents related to the group’s operations
Army sources confirmed that efforts are underway to trace the origins of the recovered arms, with particular focus on whether the Chinese rifle matches one stolen during the 2024 police arms looting in Ruma. Lieutenant Colonel Alamgir, commanding officer of the Ruma Army Zone, stated that the weapons will be handed over to the police for forensic verification.
Formed in 2022 by Nathan Bom, a former student of Dhaka University’s Fine Arts faculty, the KNF emerged with the aim of establishing an independent Kuki state encompassing nine upazilas in the Chittagong Hill Tracts.
Its armed wing KNA has since engaged in violent separatist activity. The group has drawn attention for its use of social media platforms like Facebook and YouTube to promote its ideology and military operations.
The April 2024 Sonali Bank heist — led by Commander Putin — marked a turning point. KNA operatives looted the bank and stole weapons from police before fleeing to India. In response, the Bangladesh government officially banned KNF activities and launched a series of intensified military operations.
Intelligence agencies have also accused KNF of collaborating with Islamist militant groups, offering training, and engaging in cross-border arms trafficking.
At a press briefing on Thursday at Dhaka Cantonment’s Officers’ Mess, Colonel Md. Shafiqul Islam, a senior officer at the Military Operations Directorate, confirmed that 23 KNF operatives had been arrested in recent weeks. He also reported the death of one army personnel during these missions.
“Operations in the region will continue,” Colonel Shafiqul stated. “The army remains committed to upholding national security and ensuring peace in the hill tracts with utmost professionalism.”
While authorities see the death of Commander Putin as a significant blow to KNA’s command structure, it is believed that several guerrilla members escaped during the raid and remain at large.