Amid Manipur's gradual return to normalcy, two soldiers of the Assam Rifles were killed while several others were injured in an ambush attack by militants in Ukhrul district.
The soldiers were killed in an ambush attack on the paramilitary force's convoy at around 1.30 pm in the Nungshang Khong area of the hill district.
A senior official cited by news agency PTI said that the deceased soldiers included a warrant officer and a driver. He said, "The two deceased include a warrant officer and a driver. They died on the spot. The incident occurred in Nungshang Khong area, located some 17 km from the district headquarters, under the Ukhrul Police Station limits, when the convoy was returning to the 40th Assam Rifles battalion headquarters at Sangshak."
Manipur Governor expressed grief over the incident and condemned the cowardly attack on the convoy. "The Governor of Manipur is deeply saddened by the tragic loss of two brave Assam Rifles personnel in an ambush in Ukhrul today. The Governor strongly condemns this dastardly act of violence...He prays for the strength, resilience, and speedy recovery of all those injured in the incident," Lok Bhavan Manipur stated in an X post.
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Additional security personnel were deployed in the area after the attack. Subsequently, an exchange of fire broke out between the central forces and armed militants in a nearby locality, he said.
The forces cordoned off the incident spot, and a forensic team was sent from Imphal to conduct an inspection there, the officer said.
According to locals, several farmers were working in a nearby paddy field at the time of the firing. Some of them were detained by security forces for interrogation.
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Chief Minister Y Khemchand Singh also issued a statement strongly condemning the killings, and conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families. "Culprits responsible for the murder will be arrested and punished as per the law of the land," he added.
(With PTI Inputs)