The hills and valleys of Manipur once again witnessed bloodshed on Friday evening, when a convoy of Assam Rifles personnel was brutally ambushed in Bishnupur district’s Nambol Sabal Leikai area. The attack claimed the lives of two jawans — Naik Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Keshap — while five others were left grievously injured. The armed assault, carried out by unidentified gunmen, has once again shaken a state already ravaged by ethnic conflict and political instability. According to officials, the incident occurred around 5:50 p.m. as the vehicle carrying the soldiers was travelling from Imphal towards Bishnupur. The attackers, reportedly a group of four to five assailants, opened fire on the moving vehicle. In a tragic testament to the soldiers’ discipline and sense of responsibility, the personnel refrained from immediate retaliation as the ambush took place in a civilian-populated area, where returning fire could have endangered innocent lives. The injured jawans — identified as Ningthoukhongjam Nongthon (Imphal East), DJ Dutta (Assam), Hav BK Rai (Sikkim), LP Sangma (Meghalaya), and Subashchandra (Uttarakhand) — were rushed to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal for treatment. Their condition remains a matter of grave concern, highlighting once again the human cost borne by the country’s security forces in volatile regions.
Manipur Governor Ajay Kumar Bhalla condemned the ambush in strong words, describing it as a “heinous act of violence” that would be met with “the strongest resolve to safeguard peace and stability in the region.” While extending condolences to the bereaved families, he also reiterated that the sacrifices of the fallen soldiers will not go in vain. Former Chief Minister N. Biren Singh, who visited the injured personnel at RIMS, expressed anguish at the tragedy: “I am deeply shaken to hear about the ambush on our brave 33 Assam Rifles personnel. My deepest condolences to the families of the fallen and prayers for the quick recovery of the injured. The perpetrators must face the harshest punishment.” Yet, behind these condemnations lies an uncomfortable question: how long will security personnel and civilians alike remain vulnerable in a state that has been under President’s Rule since February 2025?
One critical detail stands out in this tragic incident: the ambush occurred in Nambol, Bishnupur district — an area where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act (AFSPA) is not in force. While AFSPA has long been controversial, its absence in certain pockets creates significant challenges for security personnel, who are often forced to operate in hostile environments without the legal protections the Act provides. The recovery of multiple fired cartridges from the site further indicates the attackers’ preparedness and the growing boldness of armed groups. This raises urgent questions about intelligence failures, preparedness, and the state’s capacity to ensure security even in areas close to the capital city, Imphal — barely 16 km away.
The ambush is not an isolated act of violence. Manipur has been simmering since May 2023, when ethnic clashes between the Meitei and Kuki communities erupted, leaving at least 260 people dead and displacing thousands. The continuing cycle of violence, ambushes, and attacks on both security forces and civilians reflects a deeper, unresolved crisis that neither political will nor military presence has been able to resolve. Earlier the same day, protesters had blocked a key road in Bishnupur following the arrest of a 45-year-old man. The unrest, combined with an emboldened armed insurgency, creates a fertile ground for violence that tragically culminated in the killing of the two jawans.
While condolences pour in from officials, the families of Naik Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Keshap are left to grapple with irreparable loss. These men were not just soldiers; they were sons, fathers, and brothers who laid down their lives in service to a state caught in unending turmoil. Their sacrifice underscores the urgent need for more than just official statements. The government — both at the Centre and under President’s Rule in Manipur — must answer the pressing questions: Why are armed groups able to strike so close to the state capital? What mechanisms failed to prevent such an attack? And most importantly, what steps are being taken to ensure that soldiers are not left exposed to such risks without adequate cover and support? Until these questions are addressed with seriousness, the cycle of violence in Manipur will continue to claim lives — of both civilians and the very personnel sent to protect them.
Two Assam Rifles Jawans Killed and five injured in Bishnupur district this ambush in Bishnupur is not merely an isolated act of violence but yet another grim reminder of how fragile Manipur’s peace truly is. Two Assam Rifles jawans have laid down their lives, and five others lie wounded, not because of a lack of courage or discipline, but because a state already torn apart by ethnic strife continues to remain a battlefield of mistrust, insurgency, and weak governance. The tragedy is compounded by the fact that the attack happened just 16 kilometres from Imphal, under the watch of both central forces and a government directly administered under President’s Rule. For the bereaved families of Naik Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Keshap, official condolences, however heartfelt, cannot fill the void left behind. These soldiers embodied the highest ideals of duty and sacrifice, refraining from retaliating in the moment of attack to protect innocent civilians around them. Their restraint, humanity, and loyalty to service contrast sharply with the brutality of the assailants who chose violence over dialogue. But beyond mourning, this ambush raises troubling questions: how could armed groups strike so confidently in a district where additional forces are already deployed? Why does the cycle of ambushes, protests, and violent clashes continue unabated despite repeated assurances from those in power? And how long must ordinary citizens and soldiers alike pay the price of a state trapped between ethnic divisions and political neglect?
If Manipur’s wounds are to heal, it will take more than condemnations from officials or temporary search operations in the aftermath of bloodshed. It will require political courage, genuine dialogue between communities, a re-examination of laws like AFSPA, and above all, a commitment to accountability. Without that, the sacrifices of the fallen risk being reduced to statistics in yet another report, rather than becoming the catalyst for change they deserve to be. The ambush at Nambol Sabal Leikai should serve as a wake-up call — not only for those entrusted with protecting the state but for a nation that cannot afford to ignore the simmering conflict in its northeastern corner. If the cycle of violence continues unchecked, Manipur’s people will remain caught in a tragic loop of mourning, and the bravery of jawans like Gurung and Keshap will echo as both inspiration and indictment of a system that failed to protect them.