Two Assam Rifles (AR) personnel were killed and five others seriously injured when their vehicle was ambushed by unidentified gunmen in the Nambol area of Bishnupur district, Manipur, on Friday evening (September 19, 2025).
This is the first attack against central security forces deployed in the state since ethnic violence erupted between the Kuki-Zo and Meitei people in May 2023.
The deceased have been identified as Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap. According to officials, the ambush took place on National Highway-2, the same road used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to Churachandpur on September 13. Manipur has been under President’s Rule since February 13 this year.
The attackers, estimated to be three to four in number, reportedly opened fire on the AR vehicle with AK-47 rifles while it was on its way to Maibam. The personnel received little time to react, leading to the instant death of two jawans.
The assailants are suspected to have fled in a van, and search operations have since been launched. A senior security official said that the banned People’s Liberation Army (PLA), a valley-based Meitei insurgent group operating from Myanmar, is suspected to be behind the attack. The PLA, banned since 1979, has long sought the secession of Manipur from India.
The attack occurred in Nambol Sabal Leikai, which falls under one of the police stations denotified from the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) in March 2023 following an assessment of improved security conditions.
The Assam Rifles stated that the ambush occurred around 5:50 p.m., when a vehicle-based column was moving through the built-up area of Nambol Sabal Leikai under cover of darkness. Two personnel were killed and five injured in the attack.
The injured were evacuated to RIMS Hospital in Imphal and are said to be stable.
The Assam Rifles unit targeted in the ambush had been engaged in flood relief operations in recent days. Officials confirmed that no insurgent group has claimed responsibility so far, but combing operations are underway to track down those responsible.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla condemned the attack, expressing grief over the loss of the soldiers and extending condolences to their families.
He conveyed prayers for the speedy recovery of the injured and stressed that such acts of violence would not be tolerated, reaffirming the administration’s commitment to ensuring peace and stability in the region.
