At least three Assam Rifles (AR) personnel died and six others were injured in an ambush in Manipur’s Chandel district along the India-Myanmar border on Wednesday night.
Three banned militant outfits -- the United Liberation Front of Assam-Independent (ULFA-I), Revolutionary Peoples' Front (RPF), which is the political wing of People’s Liberation Army (PLA), and the Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) -- have jointly claimed responsibility for the attack.
The incident took place around 6:30-7:00pm when the AR troops in Khongtal, about 3km from the India-Myanmar border, were returning to their post after three days of operation along the border, an official said.
The party came under an IED attack followed by an ambush near Sajik Tampak village, around 2km from the AR base.
The deceased were identified as Havildar Pranay Kalita, Rifleman YM Konyak and Rifleman Ratan Salim. The six jawans who sustained “minor injuries” were shifted to the military hospital.
An official statement by the Assam Rifles is awaited. Manipur Chief Minister N Biren Singh condemned the “cowardice attack” and offered his condolences.