2 militants involved in ambush on Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur arrested

Security forces arrested two members of a banned outfit for their alleged involvement in the September 19 ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur, which claimed the lives of two personnel, police said on Saturday.

“Two cadres of the People's Liberation Army, who were mainly involved in the 19th September ambush on 33 Assam Rifles at Nambol Sabal Leikai, Bishnupur district, have been arrested,” a police statement said.

One of the two militants was picked up from Assam's Guwahati, but the police did not disclose the location where the other was arrested.

Two jawans of the Assam Rifles were killed and five others injured when a group of armed men ambushed a vehicle of the paramilitary force on September 19.

The arrested persons were "identified as Thongram Sadananda Singh @ Ngachik @ Purakpa (18) and self-styled Lt Corpl Chongtham Mahesh @ Momo @ Amo Singh (51)", the police said.

Chongtham is identified as "a very senior cadre of the banned outfit PLA, associated with the organisation since 1990", and he has been "arrested from Guwahati, Assam, with assistance from Crime Branch Police Station, Guwahati, Assam", the statement said.

The arrests come days after security forces apprehended the prime accused in the ambush from Kameng in Imphal West district.

PLA operates mainly from neighbouring Myanmar, where its camps and bases are located, a police officer said.

Security forces have been conducting search operations in Manipur since ethnic violence broke out two years ago.

More than 260 people have been killed and thousands rendered homeless in ethnic violence between Meiteis and Kuki-Zo groups since May 2023.

The Centre had imposed the President's rule in Manipur after Chief Minister N Biren Singh resigned.

The state Assembly, which has a tenure till 2027, has been put under suspended animation.