Manipur : Two Assam Rifles Personnel Martyred, Four Injured in Ambush near Imphal
Attackers unleashed a volley of gunfire near Nambol Police Station, just 8 km from Imphal Airport, before fleeing in a white van.
IMPHAL- In a deadly ambush, unidentified gunmen opened fire on an Assam Rifles vehicle in Nambol Sabal Leikai, Bishnupur district, killing two personnel and injuring at least four others on Friday evening.
The incident occurred around 5:40 PM when a Tata 407 truck of the 33rd Battalion was moving from Imphal toward Bishnupur. Attackers unleashed a volley of gunfire near Nambol Police Station, just 8 km from Imphal Airport, before fleeing in a white van.
The fallen soldiers include a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) and a jawan. The injured were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, where they remain stable.
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Security forces quickly cordoned off the area and launched extensive search operations. Preliminary reports suggest the attackers may have used looted weapons, a persistent issue in Manipur’s unrest. No outfit has claimed responsibility, though suspicions range from valley-based insurgent groups to local defense volunteers.
The attack came hours after Meira Paibi women activists blocked Assam Rifles vehicles in Nambol, protesting the arrest of an Arambai Tenggol leader a day earlier. The timing has raised concerns about coordinated attempts to weaken security operations, especially ahead of a bandh called by valley groups marking opposition to the 1949 Manipur Merger Agreement.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla condemned the “cowardly act” and extended condolences to the bereaved families. Tributes have poured in across social media, hailing the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers.
This marks one of the most serious strikes on security forces since the ethnic violence of 2023, which claimed over 200 lives. Authorities fear a repeat of past insurgent-style ambushes, including the 2021 Churachandpur attack claimed by the PLA. Security across the Imphal valley remains on high alert.
