Guwahati: In one of the deadliest terrorist attacks in recent time, the rebels of Peoples’ Liberation Army (PLA) on Saturday killed an Indian Army colonel, his wife, six-year-old son and four soldiers in Churachandpur district of Manipur.
The heavily armed rebels ambushed the convoy near Sehken village when the Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles, Colonel Viplav Tripathy, was returning from a visit to a forward camp near the Myanmar border. The commanding officer was on his way back after supervising a civic action programme in the Churachandpur district.
Security forces said that suspected rebels of PLA -- a Manipur-based terrorist group -- opened indiscriminate fire on the Assam Rifle convoy killing the commanding officer, his wife, their son, three quick reaction team soldiers and a driver on the spot.
Security sources said that additional troops have been rushed to the area as the location is an extremely remote village around 50 km from the district headquarters.
Defence minister Rajnath Singh condemned the attack and offered his condolences. "The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur, Manipur, is extremely painful and condemnable. The nation has lost five brave soldiers including CO 46 AR and two family members. My condolences to the bereaved families. The perpetrators will be brought to justice soon,” Mr Singh said in a social media post.
Manipur chief minister N. Biren Singh said that a counter-operation has been launched to track down the terrorists. “Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on a convoy of 46 AR which has reportedly killed few personnel including the CO and his family at Churachandpur today. The state forces and paramilitary are already on their job to track down the militants. The perpetrators will be brought to justice,” he tweeted.
Manipur is home to several armed groups fighting for either greater autonomy or secession. For decades the Army has been deployed to dominate the area having its borders with Myanmar.
In 2015, 20 soldiers were killed in an attack by terrorists in Manipur, after which the Indian Army had launched a surgical strike on their camp in Myanmar.
