Imphal: Two personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed in action and six others injured when unidentified gunmen ambushed their vehicle on the outskirts of Imphal on Thursday evening, in what is being seen as one of the most serious militant strikes in recent months.
The ambush occurred at 5:50 p.m. in the Nambol Sabal Leikai area, about eight kilometers from Imphal airport, on the arterial road connecting Imphal to Bishnupur. The paramilitary truck, a 407 Tata vehicle carrying the soldiers, came under heavy fire from automatic weapons as it moved through the stretch. Witnesses reported bursts of gunfire before the attackers fled under the cover of dusk.
Notably, this was the same route that Prime Minister Narendra Modi had used during his recent visit to Manipur, underlining both the strategic vulnerability and symbolic weight of the location.
Two soldiers succumbed to their injuries on the spot, while around six others sustained gunshot wounds and were rushed to military and civil hospitals in Imphal for treatment. Security forces quickly cordoned off the area and launched a search operation to trace the perpetrators, though no group has immediately claimed responsibility.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla strongly condemned the attack, calling it a “cowardly act against the guardians of peace.” He expressed deep condolences to the families of the fallen soldiers and wished a swift recovery for the injured. “Such acts of violence will not be tolerated under any circumstances,” he warned, adding that the state remains committed to safeguarding peace and stability despite repeated provocations.
The ambush comes at a time of heightened tension in Manipur, where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) remains in force across most of the state. However, Bishnupur district, where the attack took place, falls in one of the few areas not under AFSPA coverage. This loophole has raised fresh concerns about the operational risks faced by troops in these sensitive pockets.
AFSPA was last extended in March 2025 for six months and is due for review at the end of this month. The timing of the ambush, just days before the review, is being viewed with alarm by both security and political observers.
The Ministry of Home Affairs lists nine banned Meitei extremist groups active in the state, many of whom have a history of targeting security forces. The Assam Rifles, often on the front line of counter-insurgency duties, have faced repeated attacks, including the November 2021 Churachandpur ambush in which Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife, young son, and three jawans were killed by heavily armed militants near Sehken village.
Thursday’s attack has once again underlined the persistent volatility in Manipur, where ethnic tensions, insurgency, and cross-border smuggling networks fuel violence. For the Assam Rifles, often hailed as the “Sentinels of the Northeast,” the ambush is both a tragic loss and a reminder of the dangers of operating in a conflict-prone environment.
Security forces are now on high alert, with intelligence agencies assessing whether the strike was intended to send a political message, disrupt peace efforts, or test troop deployments ahead of AFSPA’s review.