Shillong: Terrorists today ambushed a convoy of Assam Rifles in a remote area of Manipur bordering Myanmar, and killed a Colonel, along with his wife, 8-year-old son and 4 other personnel of the force.
The attack, which took place at around 11 AM in Thinghat village of Churchandpur District, also left 4 other personnel of Assam Rifles injured.
Colonel Viplav Tripathi, Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles, who along with his family, was returning to the Battalion headquarters after an overnight visit to the Company base in Behiang, close to Myanmar, officials said.
They were killed on the spot along with 4 other personnel of the Assam Rifles, officials said.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Defence Minister Rajnath Singh strongly condemned the attack and vowed to bring the perpetrators to justice.
“A convoy of Assam Rifles was ambushed by insurgents in Thinghat, Manipur on 13 Nov 2021 at 1100 hrs. Five soldiers, including Col Viplav Tripathi, Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles, have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. The family of the Commanding Officer, i.e wife and child, also lost their lives in the incident,” the Army said in a statement.
A massive search operation has been launched to track down the perpetrators of the attack, responsibility for which has been claimed by terrorist outfits People’s Liberation Army (PLA) and Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF).
“Strongly condemn the attack on the Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur. I pay homage to those soldiers and family members who have been martyred today. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness,” the Prime Minister said in a tweet.
The Defence Minister said, “The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur, Manipur is extremely painful & condemnable. The nation has lost 5 brave soldiers including CO 46 AR and two family members.”
Singh, while expressing condolences to the bereaved families, asserted, “The perpetrators will be brought to justice soon. “
The last worst attack by terrorists on security forces in Manipur took place in June 2015 when 18 soldiers were killed in an ambush at Chandel district, close to Myanmar border.
That attack had prompted a surgical strike by Indian forces inside Myanmar against terrorist groups hiding there. Several terror camps were destroyed in that strike.
