Unidentified armed men had allegedly planted three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on both sides of a bridge along the route. Two of the IEDs exploded as the convoy crossed the area, triggering a coordinated attack involving heavy gunfire from multiple directions.
TFM Report
Two personnel of the 40 Assam Rifles were killed after armed men ambushed a security convoy in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Monday, officials said.
The deceased have been identified as Warrant Officer Balwant Singh and Rifleman CM Singh, who was driving one of the convoy vehicles. Both hailed from Uttarakhand and succumbed to injuries sustained in the attack. While some officials initially reported the personnel died on the spot, others stated they were administered first aid at the Assam Rifles camp in Shangshak before being evacuated for advanced medical treatment, but later succumbed to their injuries.
According to security officials, the ambush took place around 1:30 PM near Nungshang Kong village, approximately 16-17 km from the district headquarters on National Highway 202, when a convoy of the 40 Assam Rifles was returning to its battalion headquarters at Shangshak from Ukhrul town .
Suspected armed men had allegedly planted three improvised explosive devices (IEDs) on both sides of a bridge along the route. Two of the IEDs exploded as the convoy crossed the area, triggering a coordinated attack involving heavy gunfire from multiple directions.
Security personnel immediately retaliated, resulting in an exchange of fire that reportedly lasted for nearly two hours. Residents of nearby villages reported hearing heavy gunfire and multiple explosions that sent panic through the area.
During a subsequent search operation, security forces recovered one unexploded IED from the site. Additional security personnel have been deployed in the area, and the incident spot has been cordoned off. A forensic team has been dispatched from Imphal to conduct an inspection.
Security forces have launched an extensive search and area-domination operation in the surrounding area to track down those responsible for the attack. According to local villagers, several farmers working in nearby paddy fields at the time of the firing were detained by security forces for interrogation.
Authorities are yet to officially identify the group behind the ambush. However, the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (NSCN-IM), a prominent militant outfit from the Northeast engaged in peace talks with the Centre, issued a statement denying any involvement. The outfit said it “has no connection whatsoever” with those involved and “remains firmly committed to the ceasefire agreement with the Government of India”.
The ambush marks the second major strike on Assam Rifles personnel since the outbreak of the Manipur ethnic conflict in May 2023, following the September 2025 assault in Nambol in Bishnupur district that killed two and injured five other personnel.
Meanwhile, Manipur Governor A.K. Bhalla condemned the incident, stating such attacks “have no place in our society and cannot weaken our collective resolve to uphold peace and security”. Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh strongly condemned the “heinous and cowardly militant ambush,” asserting the government “will not tolerate such brutal violence and will not remain a mute spectator to these atrocities,” and that those “responsible for the murder will be arrested and punished as per the law of the land”.
State Home Minister Govindas Konthoujam also condemned the attack on security forces, saying, “I am deeply saddened by the unfortunate ambush on the convoy of the 40 Assam Rifles at Nungshang Kong in Ukhrul. Such incidents only disrupt the peace and harmony that we all aspire to uphold. My thoughts and prayers are with the injured personnel, and I wish them a speedy and complete recovery”.
He also expressed confidence that the security forces will take all necessary measures to ensure that those responsible are dealt with strictly in accordance with the law.
The situation in the area remains tense. The ethnic clashes in Manipur first began between the Meitei and Kuki communities in May 2023, leaving at least 260 people dead and displacing 60,000 . Security forces have been conducting search operations and area domination in fringe and vulnerable localities across Manipur since the violence erupted.
The post Assam Rifles Ambushed in Manipur: Two Soldiers Killed in IED and Gun Attack; Massive Manhunt Launched first appeared on The Frontier Manipur.
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