Manipur Assam Rifles attack suspected as political 'contract killing': Officials
Guwahati: Intelligence agencies suspect last month’s attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Manipur's Nambol, aimed to destabilize the state’s fragile situation and undermine President’s rule as a politically motivated “contract killing,” officials told a news agency.
They believe certain vested interests want to weaken the current administration, which has successfully curbed severe ethnic violence in the region, by promoting the narrative that the government is ineffective and pushing for the reinstatement of the suspended state assembly.
The attack on September 19, which killed two Assam Rifles personnel, was unusual because the banned valley-based insurgent group, People’s Liberation Army (PLA), did not claim responsibility, breaking a 48-year tradition.
Sources suggest that PLA leadership may have been unaware of or had not authorized the assault.
In response, security forces launched a major crackdown, arresting 15 PLA members within 72 hours, including key suspects Thoungram Sadananda Singh (alias Purakpa) and Khomdram Ojit Singh (alias Keilal).
Security forces recovered six weapons stolen from a police armory during earlier ethnic clashes and seized a van believed to have been used in the ambush.
The Nambol attack, which occurred in Sabal Leikai, an area where the Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) is not in force, marked the first assault on central forces since ethnic clashes between Meiteis and Kuki-Zos erupted in May 2023.
Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap died when their vehicle came under attack en route from Patsoi to the Nambol base.
Officials are also investigating possible political backing for the PLA, especially after the United National Liberation Front (UNLF) recently announced a ceasefire and agreement to join the Union Home Ministry’s Suspension of Operations (SoO).
Analysts warn that discontented members of PLA, UNLF, Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL), and People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (PREPAK) might exploit the ceasefire to target civilians.
Thoungram Sadananda Singh had previously belonged to the UNLF before shifting allegiance to the PLA. The PLA, formerly known as Polei, advocates for Manipur’s independence and the creation of a separate Meitei homeland within the Imphal Valley.
Other insurgent groups, including KYKL, PREPAK, and Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP), maintain a significant presence in the valley and along the India-Myanmar border.
Since May 2023, Manipur has endured ongoing ethnic tensions that have resulted in over 260 deaths and nearly 50,000 people displaced, primarily fueled by conflicts over land rights and political representation.