Imphal, November 13 (PTI): A commanding officer of the Assam Rifles, his wife and son, besides four personnel of the country's oldest paramilitary were killed on Saturday in a welter of IED blasts and burst of gunfire in Manipur's Churachandpur district, Defence Minister Rajnath Singh said.

Viplav Tripathi, the Commanding Officer of Khuga Battalion of Assam Rifles, a colonel rank officer, his family, and others died in an ambush on Saturday morning, in fresh eruption of militant violence in the border state blamed on an insurgent outfit.

Tripathi's convoy was targeted at Sehkan village in Churachandpur district by suspected militants of the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), an insurgent group in Manipur, demanding a separate homeland.

"The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur, Manipur is extremely painful & 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," the defence minister tweeted.

Condemning the attack, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said the sacrifices of the soldiers and their families will never be forgotten.

"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," the PM wrote on Twitter.

The incident is the first major attack on security forces since June 4, 2018 when an Army convoy was similarly targeted in Chandel district resulting in the death of 18 personnel and injury to others. The personnel of the Road Opening Patrol (ROP) of the 6 Dogra Regiment of the Army were felled.

The state that was for decades in the throes of insurgency was largely calm ever since.

On Saturday, Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) burst on a hill road, shattering the tenuous peace in Manipur, before the Assam Rifles personnel engaged the militants in a do-or-die firefight.

Bullets rained in a torrent from hilltops covered in foliage as security personnel ducked for cover and fired from behind trees and boulders.

"Five soldiers including Col Viplav Tripathi Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty. The family of Commanding Officer i.e. wife and child also lost their lives in the incident. DG and all ranks of Assam Rifles offer condolences to the brave soldiers and families of the deceased," the force said in a press statement.

Earlier, it had said the commanding officer, his family, and three Quick Reaction Team personnel died in the attack.

Assam Rifles is the oldest paramilitary force in the country raised in 1835 under the British rule. It is under the administrative jurisdiction of the Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) but operational control of the Indian Army.

The force eulogised the slain officer who had previously served in Mizoram until his transfer to Manipur in July 2021.

"During his tenure at Mizoram, under his able and energetic leadership, the Battalion has been at the forefront in Border management thwarting illegal smuggling in the IMB and hinterland. Battalion has also recovered several weapons & War like stores which could have landed in the hands of Anti National elements thus avoiding major casualties.

"Col Viplav though his remarkable endeavors has bonded closely with the locals of Mizoram. The Anti Drug campaign conducted by his battalion in January 2021 received several laurels and praise & the awareness was rightfully created by him in the entire state including the remote villages to ensure the youth are guided in the right direction," the statement said, adding his "goodwill for the society will last an eternity".

The Assam Rifles statement said it 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".

Manipur attack again proves Modi govt 
incapable of protecting nation: Rahul Gandhi 

Congress leader Rahul Gandhi on Saturday hit out at the Modi government over the terror attack on a convoy of Assam Rifles in Manipur, alleging the incident "once again proves" that it is incapable of protecting the nation.

He also sent his condolence to the families of those who lost their lives in the attack.

"The terrorist attack on the army convoy in Manipur once again proves that the Modi government is not capable of protecting the nation. My condolences to the martyrs and condolences to their families. The nation will remember your sacrifice," he said in a tweet in Hindi.

The Commanding Officer of Khuga Battalion of Assam Rifles Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife and son, besides four personnel of the paramilitary force were killed in the ambush in Manipur on Saturday morning, in a fresh eruption of militant violence in the border state.

Other Congress leaders, including Ashok Gehlot and Jairam Ramesh, also condemned the attack and demanded action against those behind it.

"Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur, Manipur in which five brave personnel and two family members lost their lives. Salute their martyrdom and extend sincere condolences to the bereaved families," Rajasthan Chief Minister Gehlot said on Twitter.

"This is absolutely shocking and deeply saddening! Hope those responsible will be brought to justice soon," said former union minister Jairam Ramesh.

Tripathi's convoy was targeted at Sehkan village in Churachandpur district by suspected militants of the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK), a militant group in Manipur demanding a separate homeland.

There were blasts from Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) before the Assam Rifles personnel engaged the militants in a gunfight.

Rajnath expresses anguish over Manipur ambush

New Delhi, November 13 (IANS): Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on Saturday expressed deep anguish over the killing of five Army personnel in Manipur.

"The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur is extremely painful and condemnable. The nation has lost five brave soldiers including the Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles and his two family members," the Defence Minister said.

He paid condolences to the bereaved families and said the perpetrators will be brought to justice soon.

The ambush was staged by unidentified militants in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Saturday.

In a statement, Assam Rifles DG, Lt. General Pradeep Chandran Nair, said: "A convoy of Assam Rifles was ambushed by insurgents in Thinghat, Manipur at 11 a.m. Five soldiers including Col. Viplav Tripathi, Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles have made the supreme sacrifice in the line of duty.

"The family of Commanding Officer -- wife and child also lost their lives in the incident. All ranks of Assam Rifles offer condolences to the brave soldiers and families of the deceased."

The driver of Col. Viplav Tripathi was also killed.

Col. Tripathi, his wife, eight-year-old son and four soldiers were gunned down.

The police said the incident took place near Sehken village as the heavily armed militants fired upon the convoy.
In addition to the seven casualties, four non-fatal cases were also reported.

It happened around 3 km away from Deheng in Manipur.

The militants attacked the convoy when the Colonel was going to supervise a civic action programme, bordering Myanmar.

So far, no militant organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The police and security forces have launched a massive search operation to nab the militants.

Manipur has over 40 outlawed insurgent groups.