Manipur Insurgency Shock: Two Assam Rifles Jawans Killed in Deadly Ukhrul Highway Ambush
A high-intensity militant ambush in Manipur's hilly Ukhrul district has left two Assam Rifles personnel dead and several others seriously injured. The targeted attack occurred at approximately 1:30 PM on Monday near the Nungshang Kong Bridge along National Highway-202. Heavily armed assailants launched an unprovoked assault on a moving convoy of the 40 Assam Rifles as it was returning to its battalion headquarters at Sangshak, triggering a massive, multi-hour gunbattle in the dense forest area.
Heavy Gunfire at Nungshang Kong Triggers Intense Retaliatory Firefight
The security convoy was caught in a tactical trap when suspected militants opened fire with sophisticated automatic weapons and detonated multiple improvised explosives. The two slain bravehearts have been officially identified as Warrant Officer Balwant Singh and Havildar Chandra Mohan Singh, both of whom succumbed to critical bullet injuries on the spot. Following the initial strike, reinforcement units rushed to the area, launching a pursuit operation that resulted in an intense, three-hour exchange of fire. The violent clash caused absolute panic among local villagers, forcing farmers working in nearby paddy fields to flee for safety.
Manipur CM and Governor Vow Stringent Retribution Against Terror Acts
The violent strike drew swift and severe condemnation from top state leadership, coming against the backdrop of complex ethnic tensions between the valley-based Meiteis and hill-based Kuki-Zo groups that have gripped the state since May 2023. Expressing profound grief over the supreme sacrifice of the jawans, Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla stated that such cowardly acts of violence cannot weaken the state's collective resolve to maintain peace. Concurrently, Chief Minister Yumnam Khemchand Singh issued a strict warning on social media, asserting that the administration will not remain a mute spectator to such atrocities and is fully committed to tracking down the perpetrators to face the law.
NSCN Clarifies Position and Denies Ties to Breakaway Faction
As speculations pointed toward regional insurgent groups operating along the Indo-Myanmar border, the National Socialist Council of Nagaland (NSCN/GPRN) issued a prompt public clarification completely distancing itself from the attack. Addressing rumours linking the ambush to a suspected breakaway "Eastern Flank" faction, the organisation explicitly stated that no such division exists within the Naga Army. The group reaffirmed their institutional position, stating that they had no involvement in or prior knowledge of the operational details, and reiterated their commitment to the ongoing Ceasefire Agreement and official peace talks with the Government of India.
