Security forces in Manipur are stepping up their hunt for the armed group behind a deadly ambush on Assam Rifles personnel. On Sunday, joint teams from central and state police launched intensified search operations in Bishnupur district and nearby areas, following Friday’s attack that killed two soldiers and wounded five others.
A police spokesperson explained that Assam Rifles and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) are combing through Bishnupur, Thoubal, Noney, and Imphal West districts to track down the attackers. During the raids, they detained two suspects in Shantipur and Ishok areas of Bishnupur. Officials are now verifying their links to the violence.
In a big break, searchers recovered a Maruti Van believed to be the getaway vehicle from the ambush. They found it about 12 kilometers away in Mutum Yangbi, still in Bishnupur district. Early probes point to multiple owners, and investigators are digging deeper into its role in the Manipur violence.
The official stressed that the full investigation into the Assam Rifles attack is moving fast. No group has claimed responsibility yet, marking this as the first major clash since President’s Rule took effect in Manipur on February 13.
In response to the incident, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla held a key security review meeting Saturday night at Raj Bhavan. Top officials joined, including Chief Secretary Puneet Kumar Goel, Chief Security Advisor Kuldiep Singh, Eastern Command chief Lt. Gen. Ram Chander Tiwari, and leaders from 3 Corps, police, Assam Rifles, BSF, CRPF, and intelligence agencies.
The group discussed the tragic ambush on the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Nambol Sabal Leikai, where unidentified militants struck an Assam Rifles convoy heading from Patsoi to Nambol base. They focused on quick coordination among agencies to identify the culprits and called for stronger security along highways, transit routes, and border zones.
Key takeaways included ramping up patrols, boosting intelligence efforts, and improving teamwork to stop future attacks. The Governor urged firm action to keep law and order steady in both valley and hill areas, prioritizing peace and safety for everyone in Manipur.
Heartfelt tributes poured in Saturday evening during a ceremony led by Inspector General Assam Rifles (South). They honored Naib-Subedar Shyam Gurung, 59, from Meghalaya’s East Khasi Hills, and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap, 36, from Chhattisgarh’s Bastar district. The five injured soldiers are stable and receiving care at Imphal’s Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS). Notably, authorities had lifted the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) from Nambol Sabal Leikai earlier.
In other routine operations amid the Manipur security crackdown, forces nabbed three militants from banned groups—People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) and People’s Liberation Army (PLA)—in Imphal East and Bishnupur districts. These suspects were tied to extortion rackets targeting locals, shops, businesses, and schools around Tronglaobi. Police seized two mobile phones and SIM cards from them.
They also arrested an arms dealer, Phijam Chetanjit Singh, 33, in Imphal West. From him, they recovered a self-loading rifle (SLR) with two magazines, 46 rounds of 7.52 mm SLR ammo, 30 rounds of 5.56 mm INSAS, 17 rounds of .303, one 7.62 mm AK round, one 5.56 mm Amogh round, and a mobile phone. These arrests highlight ongoing efforts to curb militancy and illegal arms in Manipur.
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