NEW DELHI, Nov 13: In a tragic incident, the Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles (Khuga Battalion) Col Viplav Tripathi, his family of wife and a six-year old son, and four jawans of Quick Reaction Team (QRT) were killed in an ambush by militants in Churachandpur district of Manipur on Saturday morning. Five other jawans also sustained bullet injuries.
Sources said the incident occurred at around 10 am near S Sehken village under Behiang police station, which is located close to pillar number 43 on the India-Myanmar border.
The Commanding Officer, accompanied by his wife and son, was reportedly returning to his base from the Behiang company post when their convoy was ambushed. While no group has officially claimed responsibility for the attack till now, unconfirmed reports said that the proscribed outfit People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur may be behind it.
The unidentified militants opened fire using automatic rifles of AK series after blasting some powerful remote-controlled bombs near the Sekhen village, about 3 KM away from Behiang sub-division in the district which is adjacent to Myanmar and Mizoram. The injured personnel were rushed to the primary health centre in the sub-division and later evacuated using two helicopters. More seriously injured personnel are likely to be airlifted to the military hospital at Leimakhong in Nagaland.
The CO while moving along with his wife, son and QRT team was ambushed with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at Sehken village, Singhat Subdivision in Churachandpur district.
“In the firefight which followed with the militants, suspected People’s revolutionary party of Kanglepak (PREPAK)/ People’s Liberation Army (PLA) cadres, the CO and three QRT personnel lost their lives on the spot. The family of the CO, his wife and 6 year old son, also lost their lives. The other injured personnel were admitted at Behiang health care centre,” an Assam Rifles officer said.
Col Tripati had until July 2021 served in Mizoram before he moved to Khuga in Churachandpur district in Manipur. “The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur, Manipur is extremely painful and condemnable. The nation has lost 5 brave soldiers including CO 46 AR and two family members. My condolences to the bereaved families. The perpetrators will be brought to justice soon,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said on social media.
It is suspected that the insurgent group responsible for this massacre must be from PREPAK cadre as the PREPAK remembrance day is celebrated on 12/13 November 2021, an officer on the ground said.
Behiang village is situated near the India-Myanmar border, about 122 km from Imphal. Due to its strategic importance, the state government has been considering ideas to develop the place as the second trade corridor to South-East Asian countries after Moreh town.
Strongly condemning the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi tweeted, “…I pay homage to those soldiers and family members who have been martyred today. Their sacrifice will never be forgotten. My thoughts are with the bereaved families in this hour of sadness.”
“Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on a convoy of 46 AR which has reportedly killed few personnel including the CO and his family at CCpur today. The State forces and Para military are already on their job to track down the militants. The perpetrators will be brought to justice,” said Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Twitter.
Senior Congress leader Rahul Gandhi lashed out at the government for its “failure” to prevent the attack. “Manipur attack again proves that the Modi government is incapable of protecting the nation,” he said. Chhattisgarh CM Bhupesh Baghel said a person from Chhattisgarh was killed in the attack. “His sacrifice won’t go in vain. I extend my condolences to the family,” he said.
During Col Tripathi’s tenure in Mizoram, the Battalion has done major seizures of drugs and had several successful operations in the efforts to disrupt illegal smuggling including narcotics along the India-Myanmar border and hinterland. “The Battalion has also recovered several weapons and War like stores which could have landed in the hands of anti-national elements thus avoiding major casualties,” the officer stated.
“The anti-drug campaign conducted by his battalion in January 2021 received several laurels and praise and the awareness created by him in the entire state won him the laurels from locals,” the officer who had also worked with him, said.
(Manas Dasgupta)
