Manipur ambush: 2 Assam Rifles jawans killed, 5 injured in attack

Two jawans of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others were injured when a group of armed men ambushed a paramilitary force vehicle in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Friday (September 19) evening, officials said.

The ambush took place at Nambol Sabal Leikai, 16 km from the state capital Imphal, around 5.50 pm. No armed group claimed responsibility for the attack till the filing of the report.

"A group of gunmen ambushed the vehicle in which Assam Rifles personnel were travelling towards Bishnupur district from Imphal, claiming the lives of two jawans and injuring five," an official said. The five injured people were brought to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences for treatment.

The deceased were identified as Naik Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Keshap. The injured were identified as Ningthoukhongjam Nongthon from Imphal East district, DJ Dutta from Lakhimpur in Assam, Hav BK Rai from Sikkim, LP Sangma from Tura in Meghalaya and Subashchandra from Uttarakhand.

Also Read: Modi's Manipur visit is a missed opportunity to heal a fractured state

Search operations intensified

"The column was ambushed by unidentified terrorists on the Highway in the denotified area of Manipur. In the ensuing action, two personnel of Assam Rifles were martyred and five were injured, and shifted to RIMS and are currently stable. Search operations are ongoing to apprehend the terrorists involved in the incident," a defence statement said..

Police and forensic personnel recovered several fired cartridges from the ambush site. Additional forces have been sent there while search operations have been launched in nearby areas where the attackers might have fled, an official said.

N Nongthon told reporters,"The assailants, numbering around 4 to 5, suddenly opened fire towards us. We did not immediately retaliate since it could have injured the public, as it was not an isolated area".

Also Read: PM Modi visits Manipur: Has it come too late?

Governor condemns attack

Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla condemned the attack on security forces and prayed for the speedy recovery of those who sustained injuries. "The Governor expressed profound grief and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families of the martyred soldiers, acknowledging their unwavering courage and dedication in protecting the nation,” a Raj Bhavan statement read.

Former chief minister N Biren Singh visited the site and condoled the bereaved families.

The Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act, or AFSPA, is enforced in all of Manipur except in 13 police station areas of the five valley districts. An official said the ambush site, Nambol, falls in the Bishnupur district and has no AFSPA coverage.

Earlier in the day, protesters had blocked the main road, some 20 km from the ambush site, in the same district after the police arrested a 45-year-old man.

Also Read: Modi’s projects offer little solace to thousands in Manipur’s relief camps

Ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities have left at least 260 people dead and thousands homeless since May 2023. Manipur has been under President's rule since February, following the resignation of N Biren Singh.

(With Agency inputs )