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Police detained two after an Assam Rifles convoy ambush in Imphal’s Mutum Yangbi killed Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap.

Security personnel keep a vigil amid ongoing protests, in Imphal, Manipur. (IMAGE: PTI FILE)
Police in Manipur on Saturday detained two individuals and recovered a van in connection with the ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy earlier this week that left two soldiers dead.
According to broadcaster NDTV, which reported the fresh development, the van was recovered nearly 12 kilometres from the site of the incident in Imphal’s Mutum Yangbi area. The police also stated that security forces had carried out “a massive operation in Shantipur and Ishok areas” following the attack.
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“During the last 24 hours, the overall law-and-order situation in the state was tense but under control. In the follow-up to the incident at Nambol Sabal Leikai, in which two personnel of the Assam Rifles were martyred, security forces carried out a massive operation in Shantipur and Ishok areas,” the statement read.
Authorities further added that the recovered van has multiple owners and that all of them have been identified as part of the ongoing investigation.
The ambush on Friday evening occurred around 5.50 pm on NH-2, as a vehicle column of the Assam Rifles was moving through Nambol Sabal Leikai, a densely populated area within a de-notified zone. A de-notified zone is defined as an area that is not under the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA).
Sources confirmed that a Junior Commissioned Officer and a jawan were killed in the attack, while five other personnel sustained injuries. The injured have been admitted to RIMS, Imphal, where doctors have reported that their condition is stable. Security forces immediately launched a search operation in the surrounding area, though no militant group has claimed responsibility for the attack so far.
Investigators speaking to News18 indicated that the People’s Liberation Army (PLA) is suspected to be behind the ambush, pointing out that the timing of the attack coincides closely with the outfit’s foundation day later this month.
A separate report by NDTV identified the two fallen soldiers as Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap, whose deaths have sparked mourning within the Assam Rifles and the local community.
About the Author
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev…Read More
Shankhyaneel Sarkar is a senior subeditor at News18. He covers international affairs, where he focuses on breaking news to in-depth analyses. He has over five years of experience during which he has covered sev… Read More
Imphal, India, India
September 21, 2025, 08:23 IST
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