Two personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others injured after their convoy was ambushed by unidentified terrorists near Imphal on Friday evening. The incident occurred as the paramilitary unit’s 407 Tata vehicle was traveling from its Patsoi company operating base to Nambol base around 5:50 pm. The injured soldiers were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for treatment.
The ambush took place near Nambol Sabal Leikai, about 8 kilometers from Imphal Airport along the road to Churachandpur—an area recently traversed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Manipur last week. Security officials confirmed that the attackers opened fire on the Assam Rifles unit moving along National Highway 2 during hours of darkness.
Those who lost their lives in the attack were identified as Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap. Assam Rifles leadership paid tribute to the fallen soldiers, calling their sacrifice an act of supreme courage, while extending condolences to their families. Lt. Gen. Vikas Lakhera, Director General of Assam Rifles, also expressed deep sorrow over the loss.
The attack comes despite the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) being in force across most of Manipur, excluding certain police station areas. Nambol, where the ambush occurred, falls under Bishnupur district—one of the zones where AFSPA is not currently applicable. Nine banned Meitei extremist groups remain active in the region, with a history of targeting security personnel, including the 2021 ambush that killed Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife, and son in Churachandpur.
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla strongly condemned the attack, offering condolences to the bereaved families and wishing the injured a speedy recovery. He emphasized that such acts of violence would not be tolerated and vowed firm action to restore peace and security. The incident disrupts a period of relative calm in Manipur following two years of ethnic violence, reigniting concerns over stability in the conflict-hit state.
