Daijiworld Media Network - Imphal
Imphal, Jul 6: At least two personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed after suspected Naga armed militants ambushed a patrol vehicle near Nungshang Kong in Manipur's Ukhrul district on Monday, officials said.
According to a senior police official, the attack took place near the Nungshang Kong Bridge, around 16 km east of the Ukhrul Police Station, when an Assam Rifles patrol came under heavy fire from unidentified armed assailants.
Preliminary reports indicated that two Assam Rifles personnel sustained critical injuries during the ambush and later succumbed to their wounds. Officials said intermittent exchanges of fire between the security forces and the attackers continued for several hours, preventing a police team from reaching the site immediately.
As a result, authorities were unable to immediately confirm the exact sequence of events, the total number of casualties or the identity of the attackers.
Quoting local residents, police officials said intense gunfire and repeated explosions echoed through the area for nearly two hours. The attack site is located about 17 km from the Ukhrul district headquarters.
The firing triggered panic among nearby villages, forcing farmers working in surrounding paddy fields to abandon their work and flee to safer locations.
Reacting to the incident, Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh strongly condemned the attack and expressed condolences to the families of the slain personnel.
Describing the ambush as a barbaric act of violence, the Chief Minister said the state government would not tolerate such attacks and assured that those responsible would be identified, arrested and prosecuted in accordance with the law.
Manipur Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh also denounced the incident, saying he was deeply saddened by the attack on the convoy of the 40 Assam Rifles.
In a statement posted on Facebook, the Home Minister said such acts of violence undermine the peace and harmony that the people of Manipur seek to preserve. He expressed confidence that security agencies would take all necessary measures to bring those responsible to justice and urged citizens to remain united in support of peace, security and stability in the state.
The ambush comes at a time when central and state security forces have intensified counter-insurgency operations across Manipur, with enhanced deployment in both the valley and hill districts aimed at curbing militant activity, preventing further violence and restoring normalcy.