New Delhi: Two jawans lost their lives and four others were injured when a vehicle carrying Assam Rifles troops was ambushed by suspected militants Friday evening in Manipur’s Bishnupur district, the state police have said.
A source in the defence and security establishment told ThePrint that the attack occurred on the same route Prime Minister Narendra Modi took less than a fortnight ago when he visited Manipur, his first visit since ethnic clashes erupted in the state in May 2023.
“The ambush occurred on a key route that connects Imphal and Bishnupur,” the official said. “This road which is NH-2 was recently used by Prime Minister Narendra Modi during his visit to the area. The forces have launched operations to track and apprehend the attackers.”
The Assam Rifles identified the slain troops as Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap belonging to 33 Assam Rifles battalion.
This is the first major incident of violence against central security forces since last November, when a CRPF jawan was killed and four were injured (including two personnel from the Manipur Police) in an ambush in Jiribam on the Manipur-Assam border.
Lt Gen Vikas Lakhera, AVSM, SM, Director General Assam Rifles & All Ranks of Assam Rifles pay solemn tribute to Nb Sub Shyam Gurung & 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… pic.twitter.com/Ntmm9wKrMU
— The Assam Rifles (@official_dgar) September 19, 2025
At around 5.50 pm, unidentified gunmen attacked the Tata 407 vehicle in the Nambol Sabal Leikai area in Bishnupur, which falls between Imphal and Churachandpur.
Sources in the Manipur Police have pointed to the involvement of the People’s Liberation Army, a separatist militant group.
“The assailants first opened fire on a 407 Tata vehicle carrying Assam Rifles personnel from Imphal towards Bishnupur. Other injured personnel were rushed to the hospital for treatment. The attackers later targeted the troops directly in which two jawans were martyred and four were injured,” a Manipur police officer told ThePrint.
When Modi came to Manipur, due to bad weather, he had travelled by road to Churachandpur in the hills and Imphal in the Valley, where he had called for strengthening dialogue to build a strong bridge of harmony between the hill and valley districts.
While the hill districts are dominated by the tribal communities, including the Kuki-Zo, who are Christians, the valley districts are inhabited by the non-tribal Meiteis, who are mostly Hindus.
The two communities have been involved in a bitter ethnic strife since May 2023. So far, over 200 people from both communities have lost their lives, and more than 60,000 individuals have been internally displaced.
Since the violence erupted, the state has been divided along ethnic lines, with the Kuki-Zo fleeing to the hill district from the Valley and the Meiteis abandoning their homes and returning to Imphal.
Valley-based militant groups have also called a bandh on Monday to oppose the Manipur merger agreement of 21 September, 1949.
Governor Bhalla, ex-CM Biren condemn attack
Sources in the defence and security establishment said personnel of the 33 Assam Rifles were traveling from their Patsoi Company Operating Base to the Nambol Company Operating Base.
No group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla took to X to express his condemnation: “I strongly condemn the attack on our security forces this evening, in which two brave Assam Rifles personnel made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.”
The Governor of Manipur has strongly condemned the attack on security forces this evening, in which two brave jawans of the Assam Rifles made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.
The Governor expressed profound grief and extended heartfelt condolences to the bereaved…
— RAJ BHAVAN, MANIPUR (@RajBhavManipur) September 19, 2025
Former Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh also expressed his condolences on X: “I am deeply shaken to hear about the ambush on our brave 33 Assam Rifles personnel at Nambol Sabal Leikai. The loss of two jawans and injuries to several others is a cruel blow.”
Manipur is currently under President’s Rule.
I am deeply shaken to hear about the ambush on our brave 33 Assam Rifles personnel at Nambol Sabal Leikai. The loss of two jawans and injuries to several others is a cruel blow to us all. My deepest condolences to the families of the fallen and prayers for the quick recovery of…
— N. Biren Singh (@NBirenSingh) September 19, 2025
This is an updated version of the report.
(Edited by Gitanjali Das)