Two AR personnel killed, three hurt in 'PLA ambush'
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, March 11 2014 :
At least two personnel including a Junior Commissioned Officer (JCO) of the 24-Assam Rifles were killed while another three jawans wounded in an ambush reportedly carried out by some suspected heavily armed cadres of PLA at Kambang Khullen area under Tengnoupal Police Station in Chandel district on Tuesday.
Police reports said the attack took place at around 2:15 pm near a public graveyard on the brink of Kambang Khulen gate, a hamlet about 22 km east of Tengnoupal Police Station.
A convoy of the 24-AR led by its Commanding Officer (CO) from Tengnoupal was on its way towards an AR post at Rilram Centre near Myanmar border passing through Sita village when the ambush took place.
Earlier, the CO with the convoy comprising four vehicles inspected the post of 24-AR at Sita village.
From there, they set out for the Rilram Centre when the PLA militants ambushed the convoy from the top of a hill using sophisticated weapons and a number of IEDs.
Four personnel of the 24-AR including a JCO and a driver were wounded in the attack.
The JCO and the driver later succumbed at the Military Hospital, Leimakhong.
JCO Murli, rifleman Santosh (driver), who later succumbed to their injuries, along with riflemen Ngamei Abai and Pramod Kalai were airlifted by an AR helicopter to the military hospital after the attack.
The police reports further said the AR team retaliated to the militants and engaged in a fierce gun battle for about an hour.
Heavy sounds of firing and explosions were heard while exchanging fire between the two sides.
Villagers nearby fled the area in panic.
Additional AR forces rushed to the area and conducted search.
However, no traces of the assailants were reported.
One Gypsy vehicle of the AR convoy moving in the front was completely destroyed in the attack.
Another vehicle was also damaged in the assault which caused casualties on the side of the Assam Rifles.
Four AK rifles, six hand grenades and one Insas rifle of the AR team were found missing after the ambush.
It could not be confirmed whether the weapons have gone astray or taken by the attackers.
A team of Tengnoupal Police Station rushed to the site to assess the situation at around 6:30 pm.
Many of the villagers fled the area in fear by keeping their houses shut.
The additional AR personnel even prevented Tengnoupal Police personnel from entering the site.
They also cornered all the male members of the village in Kambang Public Ground while women were kept apart.
The police said the spot where the ambush occurred is located about 4 km east of Sita Khul.
The AR team which came under attack from the suspected PLA militants often conduct patrol to look after the AR post at Rilram Centre.
Some panic-stricken residents of Kambang village fleeing the attack and the gunbattle took refuge at houses of their relatives and near ones in Tengnoupal area.
Police also blocked the Imphal-Moreh road at Pallel stopping movement of private vehicles towards Moreh at 3 pm after the incident.
The villagers of Kambang Khul were subjected to interrogation on the Kambang Public Ground.
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