Imphal, July 6 (IANS) At least two Assam Rifles personnel were killed after a suspected Naga armed group ambushed a paramilitary force vehicle at Nungshang Kong in Manipur’s Ukhrul district on Monday, officials said.

Manipur Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh and Home Minister Konthoujam Govindas Singh strongly condemned the attack and vowed stringent action against those responsible.

A senior police official in Imphal said that an Assam Rifles patrol party was reportedly ambushed by unidentified Naga armed assailants near Nungshang Kong Bridge, around 16 km east of Ukhrul Police Station, on Monday afternoon.

According to preliminary reports, at least two Assam Rifles personnel sustained critical injuries in the attack and later succumbed to their injuries. An intermittent exchange of fire reportedly continued in the area for several hours, preventing a police team from Ukhrul Police Station from reaching the site.

Consequently, the exact details of the incident, including the total number of casualties and the identity of the attackers, could not be immediately confirmed.

A police official, quoting local villagers, said that heavy gunfire and repeated explosions continued for nearly two hours in the area, located about 17 km from the Ukhrul district headquarters.

Farmers working in nearby paddy fields fled to safer locations as the firing intensified, while panic gripped the surrounding villages.

In a statement, Chief Minister Khemchand Singh said that the Manipur government strongly condemned the killing of two Assam Rifles personnel in the militant ambush at Nungshang Kong in Ukhrul. He conveyed his deepest condolences to the bereaved families of the slain Assam Rifles personnel and denounced the attack as a barbaric act of violence. He asserted that the state government would not tolerate such heinous acts and would not remain a mute spectator to such atrocities.

“The perpetrators responsible for this brutal murder will be identified, arrested and punished in accordance with the law of the land,” the Chief Minister said.

Home Minister Govindas Singh also strongly condemned the attack on the Assam Rifles personnel.

In a Facebook post, the Home Minister earlier said that he was “deeply saddened by the unfortunate ambush on the convoy of the 40 Assam Rifles at Nungshang Kong, Ukhrul.” He said such incidents only disrupt the peace and harmony that the people of the state collectively aspire to uphold. “…I am confident that the security forces will take all necessary measures to ensure that those responsible are dealt with strictly in accordance with the law. Let us all remain united in our collective commitment to peace, security, and the well-being of Manipur,” he said.

The incident comes amid intensified security operations across Manipur, where central and state security forces have been maintaining heightened vigilance in both the valley and hill districts to curb militant activities, prevent further violence and restore normalcy.

–IANS

sc/vd