Security forces have achieved a major breakthrough in the investigation of the September 19 ambush on 33 Assam Rifles at Nambol Sabal Leikai in Bishnupur district with the arrest of two active cadres of the proscribed People’s Liberation Army (PLA).
The arrested militants have been identified as Thongram Sadananda Singh alias Ngachik alias Purakpa (18), a resident of Wangbal Heiruthong Leikai in Thoubal district, and S/S Lt Corporal Chongtham Mahesh alias Momo alias Amo Singh (51), a veteran PLA operative from Keishampat Leimajam Leikai in Imphal West district.
According to police, Sadananda Singh was formally arrested in Manipur, while Mahesh, associated with the PLA since 1990, was apprehended in Guwahati, Assam, with the assistance of the Guwahati Crime Branch Police Station.
Officials said the arrests come close on the heels of the capture of the prime accused in the same case earlier this week. Together, the developments mark a significant step in dismantling the network responsible for the deadly ambush that killed two Assam Rifles personnel and injured five others.
Investigations are ongoing to identify and apprehend the remaining members of the militant group involved in the attack.
Earlier, two Assam Rifles personnel were killed and five others seriously injured when heavily armed militants ambushed a patrol convoy at Nambol Sabal Leikai in Bishnupur district.
According to officials, the convoy came under sudden gunfire, leaving two jawans dead on the spot while five others sustained critical injuries. The injured have been shifted to nearby hospitals for treatment. Security forces have since launched massive search operations in the area to track down the assailants.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla and former Chief Minister N Biren Singh strongly condemned the attack, calling it a cowardly act against the country’s security forces. Both leaders expressed condolences to the families of the slain soldiers and wished a speedy recovery for the injured.
The ambush comes against the backdrop of ongoing search and counter-insurgency operations across Manipur, which has been reeling under ethnic violence since May 2023. Clashes between the Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities have so far claimed more than 260 lives and displaced thousands, many of whom continue to live in relief camps.
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Ankur Mishra is a journalist who covers an extensive range of news, from business, stock markets, IPOs to geopolitics, world affairs, international crises, and general news. With over a decade of experience in the business domain, Ankur has been associated with some of the reputed media brands. Through a sharp eye on global marketplaces along with deep insights and analysis of business strategies, Ankur brings simplicity to the complex economic matrix to decode market trends and empower people.
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