Manipur: Naga insurgent outfit Nationalist Socialist Council of Nagaland-A (NSCN) along with Manipuri outfit Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) and Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) has claimed responsibility for the attack on an Indian Army convoy in which at least 18 soldiers were killed in Manipur on Thursday. Army Chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag is in Imphal to review the situation.
The attack, the deadliest in the last three decades, took place when the 6 Dogra Infantry Regiment was being deinducted from the area. Eighteen soldiers were killed in the attack and 11 were injured after terrorists ambushed a convoy of the 6 Dogra under Tengnoupal Police Station in Chandel district of Manipur.
According to intelligence sources, the attackers came from Myanmar and officials say more than one insurgent group active in the region could be involved. Along with NSCN-K, terror group Kanglei Yawol Kunna Lup (KYKL) is also said to be behind the attack.
The National Investigating Agency (NIA) will register a case and also look at how insurgent groups got access to sophisticated weaponry.
At a high-level meeting in Delhi soon after the attack which was attended by Home Minister Rajnath Singh, Defence Minister Parrikkar, the National Security Advisor (NSA) and Army chief General Dalbir Singh Suhag, a decision was taken to increase the intensity of the operations and deploy more forces in the area.
The government has also decided to seal the India-Myanmar border in Manipur and directed all installations of the security forces in Manipur and Nagaland to be on high alert to foil any attempt by the terrorists to strike again.
The NIA has also registered a case and will be scrutinising the route through which the terrorists procured such sophisticated weaponry. The possibility of the attack being a handiwork of more than one more organisation is not being ruled out.
The ambush was laid by an unidentified terrorist outfit under Tengnoupal Police Station in the district. Sources said terrorists used heavy firepower in the attack. The Army convoy was on a road opening patrol and was attacked with rocket propelled grenades (RPGs) and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
After the army vehicle was damaged, the terrorists used automatic rifles to fire indiscriminately at the soldiers resulting in the heavy casaulty. Some terrorists have also been killed in the retaliatory fire by the soldiers.
Prime Minister Narendra Modi condemned the attack as mindless and very distressing. "Today's mindless attack in Manipur is very distressing. I bow to each and every soldier who has sacrificed his life for the Nation," he tweeted.
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