2 Detained, Van Seized After Attack On Assam Rifles Convoy In Manipur That Killed 2 Soldiers

Two individuals were detained in Manipur on Saturday following the ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy that resulted in two soldiers' deaths and five others being injured earlier this week. Authorities also seized a van believed to have been used in the attack from Mutum Yangbi in Imphal, approximately 12 km from where the incident occurred, according to officials.

Police stated that the recovered vehicle has been linked to multiple identified owners.

"During the last 24 hours, the overall law-and-order situation in the state was tense but under control. In the follow-up to the incident at Nambol Sabal Leikai in which two personnel of the Assam Rifles were martyred, security forces carried out a massive operation in Shantipur and Ishok areas," an official statement indicated.

The two Assam Rifles soldiers who lost their lives in Friday's ambush were identified as Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap. The attack occurred when terrorists fired upon the paramilitary forces' 407 Tata vehicle while it was traveling from its Patsoi company operating base to Nambol base at approximately 5:50 pm. Notably, this ambush took place on the same road that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had recently used during his visit to Manipur.

"In the general area, Nambol Sabal Leikai, the column was ambushed by unidentified terrorists on the Highway in the denotified area of Manipur. In the ensuing action, two personnel of the Assam Rifles were martyred and five were injured," according to an official statement.

The wounded soldiers were transported to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for medical treatment.

Following the incident, Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla chaired a high-level meeting to discuss enhancing security measures in vulnerable and sensitive areas throughout Manipur. Senior state government officials and high-ranking police personnel participated in the meeting.

"The discussion stressed the need for coordinated action among all security agencies to ensure swift identification of the perpetrators. It was also resolved that security arrangements must be further strengthened in vulnerable and sensitive areas, including highways, transit routes, and border zones," the Raj Bhavan reported.

Since 2023, Manipur has been experiencing ethnic violence between the Meitei community and Kuki tribes over various issues including land rights and political representation. The ongoing conflict has claimed over 260 lives and internally displaced nearly 50,000 people.