Manipur chief minister Yumnam Khemchand on Wednesday paid tributes to two Assam Rifles personnel who were martyred in an ambush by unidentified armed miscreants in Ukhrul district, during a ceremony at Imphal International Airport.
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The wreath-laying ceremony, organised by the Assam Rifles, was attended by home minister Govindas Konthoujam, director general of police Rajiv Singh, additional director general of police L Dorjee, inspector general of Assam Rifles (South) Major General Gaurav Sharma, CRPF inspector general Rajendra Narayan Dash, and senior civil, police and military officials, who paid their last respects to the slain personnel.
The two Assam Rifles personnel, Warrant Officer Balwant Singh of Bagdodara in Bageshwar district and Havildar Chandra Mohan Singh of Dandatolli in Pauri Garhwal district, both in Uttarakhand, succumbed to bullet injuries sustained during the ambush carried out by unidentified armed miscreants at Nungshangkhong village, about 16km from the Ukhrul district headquarters, at around 1.30pm on July 6.
A guard of honour was accorded to the two personnel as senior officials of the Army, Assam Rifles and Central Armed Police Forces (CAPF) joined the ceremony to pay their final respects.
The mortal remains were later airlifted to Uttarakhand for the last rites.
Inspector Marchang W, officer-in-charge of Ukhrul police station, said the ambush took place at around 1.40pm while a convoy of the 40th Battalion of the Assam Rifles was returning to its base at Shangshak.
“The ambush attack took place on the 40 Assam Rifles convoy on July 6 at approximately 1.40pm while they were travelling to their base in Shangshak. Two personnel — Warrant Officer Balwan Singh and Havildar Chandra Mohan Singh — sustained fatal injuries and died on the spot,” he said.
He said senior police officers, including the superintendent of police and additional superintendent of police, rushed to the scene immediately after the attack and cordoned off the area.
“A joint search operation was launched by the Manipur Police and Assam Rifles teams from Ukhrul and Shangshak. However, no suspects involved in the attack have been apprehended so far,” the officer said.
Security forces have intensified search operations in the area as investigations into the ambush continue.
