Manipur ambush case: Prime accused in Assam Rifles convoy attack arrested, arms recovered

THe ground surmise in the scupper on an Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur's Bishnupur territory was arrested on wed, news agency PTI reported, citing a senior police officer. A cache of arms and ammunition believed to have been used in the attack was also recovered on the basis of the accused’s information, the officer added.In the September 19 ambush, two personnel were killed and five injured when a convoy travelling about 25 km from Imphal West to Bishnupur was attacked near Nambol Sabal Leikai, around 2 km from its destination.“On receipt of specific information about the presence of armed militants in the Kameng area, a team of district police Imphal West, Bishnupur, 33 AR and other security forces launched a special operation on September 24 at about 1 am,” the official was quoted as saying.“During the operation, one person, namely Khomdram Ojit Singh alias Keilal (47) was apprehended... He admitted he is a bailed-out member of PLA (People's Liberation Army of Manipur, a militant group). He was directly involved in the ambush," Director General of Police, Manipur, Rajiv Singh, said in a statement. The police chief said raids are continuing to trace others linked to the incident.Earlier on Saturday, two people had also been detained in connection with the assault, while police recovered a van suspected to have been used in the strike in Nambol Sabal Leikai.What did the preliminary investigation say?Police said a silver-blue van suspected to have been used in the ambush was later discovered at Mutum Yangbi in Imphal West, around 10 km from the site of the attack. "As per preliminary investigation, multiple owners of the said vehicle have been identified, and efforts are still on to uncover more details," the statement noted.Meitei and Kuki-Zo bodies also condemned the assault. The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC), in a statement issued on Saturday, described it as a “cowardly and brutal attack on the Assam Rifles”. The body further underlined that the ambush took place in an area not covered by the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA).“The cumulative evidence of violence, discrimination, and oppression makes it abundantly clear that peaceful coexistence under the same administrative framework with the Meiteis is no longer possible,” the council declared.Friday’s ambush marked the first attack on security forces in Manipur by suspected militants since July 14, 2024, when a CRPF jawan was killed and another injured, along with two Manipur Police commandos, in Jiribam district.