Key Points

At least two Assam Rifles personnel, including a Naib-Subedar, were killed and at least five others injured when a group of unidentified armed cadres attacked a vehicle of the paramilitary force in Manipur's Bishnupur district on Friday evening.

Taking to social media platform X, he said, "The attack on the Assam Rifles in Manipur is condemnable. Rifleman G.D. Kashaw, a brave son of Chhattisgarh, and two other soldiers made the supreme sacrifice."

"I pay my deepest respects to the martyrs and offer my condolences to their bereaved families. Their sacrifice strengthens our resolve to protect and unite the nation," he added.

A police official in Imphal said that the incident took place along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Bishnupur district's Nambol Sabal Leikai area.

A defence spokesman said that a column of troops of 33 Assam Rifles was moving from its Patsoi Company Operating Base to Nambol Company Operating Base when it was ambushed in the general area of Nambol Sabal Leikai by unidentified terrorists on the highway in the denotified area of Manipur. In the ensuing action, two personnel of Assam Rifles were killed and five were injured and have since been evacuated to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, the spokesman had said.

The slain Assam Rifles jawans are Naib-Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap. As of now, no group has claimed responsibility for the attack.

Assam Rifles Director General Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera condoled the death. In a post on Friday on the Assam Rifles X handle, he had said: “Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, Director General Assam Rifles and All Ranks of Assam Rifles pay solemn tribute to Nb Sub Shyam Gurung and Rfn Ranjit Singh Kashyap who made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty in Manipur today and offer deep condolences to the families of our Brave Soldiers.”

- IANS