- NET Web Desk
The deadly militant ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy on Saturday, which took away the lives of 46 Assam Rifles Khuga Battalion Commanding Officer, Colonel Viplab Tripathi, his wife and their 8-year-old son, along with 4 other brave paramilitary personnel – Rfn Suman Swargiary, Rfn Khatnei Konyak, Rfn RP Meena, and Rfn Shyamal Das have raised voices for immediate retaliation against insurgent groups & separatist movements operating across Northeast India.
According to News 18 report, intelligence inputs suggested that the insurgent outfits such as – People’s Liberation Army (PLA), Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) are likely planning more such attacks by planting Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) on routes utilized by the security forces.
However, a separate intelligence input identified that PLA may target security forces prior to the Assembly elections, particularly by carrying out attacks on paramilitary personnel deployed to guard Indo-Myanmar border in Churachandpur, Chandel and Ukhrul.
These banned militant outfits have earlier initiated such cowardly attacks on Indian armed forces, especially bringing back memories of Chandel ambush in the state in which a Dogra battalion of the Indian Army lost 18 brave men.
Recently, the Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh during an interview with News 18 asserted that state government is ready to hold talks with militants in order to reach an “amicable settlement”, or else they will “face its consequence”.
Singh further claimed that vested interests initiated the move to destabilize & create panic among the people. He believes that insurgents are operating from across borders, and are attempting to enter the state by taking advantage of dense forests.
Its pertinent to note that recently the Phundrei battalion of Assam Rifles in a joint operation with Manipur Police has recovered a huge cache of explosives from a region adjacent to Wabagai Yanbi High School in Kakching district.
