2 Assam Rifles Soldiers Killed In Manipur As Unidentified Gunmen Open Fire On Military Vehicle
Unidentified assailants ambushed their vehicle near Imphal Airport before escaping in a white van. Security forces have launched search operations for the attackers.
Two personnel of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others injured after unidentified gunmen ambushed their vehicle in Manipur’s Bishnupur district on Friday evening, officials said.
The attack occurred around 5.50 p.m. in Nambol Sabal Leikai, roughly 16 km from state capital Imphal. The soldiers were travelling towards Bishnupur from Imphal when armed men suddenly opened fire, officials added.
#WATCH | Manipur | Ambush on security forces in Nambol Sabal area of Bishnupur; Details awaited
— ANI (@ANI) September 19, 2025
(Visuals deferred by unspecified time) pic.twitter.com/pbdhVs5oJp
Attack and aftermath
Defence authorities confirmed that the ambush claimed the lives of Naik Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Keshap, while five others were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal. Doctors said the injured personnel are currently stable.
In a statement, the Assam Rifles said: “The column was ambushed by unidentified terrorists on the highway in a denotified area of Manipur. In the ensuing action, two personnel were martyred and five were injured. Search operations are ongoing to apprehend the terrorists involved.”
At the site, police and forensic teams recovered several spent cartridges. Additional security forces have been deployed, and a combing operation has been launched in nearby areas where the attackers may have fled.
Eyewitness account
One of the injured jawans, N. Nongthon, recalled that the assailants—believed to be four or five in number—opened fire suddenly. “We did not retaliate immediately, as it would have led to injuries to the public, since it was not an isolated area,” he said.
Condemnation and political context
Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla strongly condemned the attack, paying tribute to the two personnel who, he said, made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
The ambush comes just days after Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the strife-torn state, which remains under President’s Rule. So far, no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack.
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