TV
In a chilling reminder of the continuing unrest in Manipur, two personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others injured when armed men ambushed their vehicle in Bishnupur district on Friday evening. The attack, which took place in the Nambol Sabal Leikai area around 5:50 pm, has sent shockwaves across the region.
The Ambush
According to officials, a group of 4–5 unidentified gunmen opened fire on the Assam Rifles convoy travelling from Imphal towards Bishnupur. Despite being caught off-guard, the personnel refrained from immediate retaliation to avoid civilian casualties in the crowded area.
The fallen soldiers were identified as Naik Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Keshap. Police later recovered multiple fired cartridges from the site, about 16 km from Imphal.
Injured and Evacuation
The five injured jawans- N Nongthon, DJ Dutta, Hav BK Rai, LP Sangma, and Subashchandra were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS), where officials confirmed their condition as stable.
Also Read: BSF jawan killed in Manipur, two Assam Rifles personnel injured: Army
Leaders Condemn Attack
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla condemned the ambush, calling the martyred soldiers the 'supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.' Former CM N Biren Singh, who visited the injured at RIMS, said the perpetrators must face 'the harshest punishment.'
Security Response
Additional forces have been deployed, and search operations are underway to trace the attackers. The ambush site falls in a part of the Bishnupur district not covered by AFSPA, making the security challenge even tougher.
Ethnic violence in Manipur since May 2023 has already claimed more than 260 lives, and this latest ambush underscores the fragile peace in the troubled state.
