Manipur ambush: Govt announces ex-gratia for Assam Rifles personnel

Imphal, Sep 20 (IANS) The Manipur government, on Saturday, announced a financial compensation for the families of the two Assam Rifles personnel martyred and five others injured by unidentified gunmen in the state's Bishnupur district, officials said.

Manipur's Commissioner-cum-Secretary (Home), N. Ashok Kumar, said that in recognition of the sacrifices made by the families of the deceased, the government has announced an ex-gratia of Rs 5 lakh for those who succumbed to injuries (death) and Rs 2 lakh for those who sustained grievous injuries.

Additionally, the state government will extend all necessary support during the medical treatment of the injured jawans and rehabilitation, he added.

Kumar in a statement said that the Manipur government is deeply concerned about the recent incident of attack on the Assam Rifles personnel on September 19 in which two personnel were martyred, while five others were injured.

"The state government strongly condemn such incidents. The government expresses its deepest condolences to the families of those who lost their lives in this cowardly act and prays for the speedy recovery of the injured," the statement said.

Meanwhile, a solemn wreath laying ceremony was held for the brave soldiers, who lost their lives in the cowardly attack by unknown armed insurgents.

A Defence spokesman said that the event was organised by the Assam Rifles at Viplove Tripathy Training Shed in Mantripukhri Garrison in Imphal West district on Saturday evening to pay homage to the martyrs of Assam Rifles.

Two Assam Rifles personnel, including a Naib-Subedar, were killed and five others injured when a group of unidentified armed cadres attacked a vehicle of the paramilitary force along the Imphal-Dimapur National Highway (NH-2) in Bishnupur district's Nambol Sabal Leikai area.

The Defence spokesman added that a column of troops of Assam Rifles was moving from its Patsoi company operating base to Nambol company operating base when it was ambushed in the general area of Nambol Sabal Leikai by unidentified terrorists on the highway in the denotified area of Manipur.

In the ensuing action, two personnel of Assam Rifles were killed and five others were injured.

The injured personnel are now under medical treatment at the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) in Imphal, the spokesman said, adding that they are currently stable.

The slain Assam Rifles personnel are Naib-Subedar Shyam Gurung (59) and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap (36).

Gurung hails from Meghalaya's East Khasi Hills district while Kashyap is a resident of Bastar district of Chhattisgarh.

A solidarity march and protest against the dastardly attack on Assam Rifles was held at Churachandpur by the Kuki-Zomi-Hmar and other tribal communities.

--IANS

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