3 cops killed in militant ambush ahead of inaugural function of Tengnoupal dist
Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 15 2016:
A least three police personnel were killed and 11 others wounded when they were attacked by militants at two different places along Imphal-Moreh highway this morning.
A police team of Moreh station went to sanitise the highway ahead of the Chief Minister's visit to Tengnoupal when they suddenly came under heavy fire near Lokchao at around 6.20 am.
Another police team was attacked between Thamnapokpi and Bongyang around two hours after the first attack, sources informed.
Incidentally, both the ambush sites are located within the newly created Tengnoupal district.
While the first ambush site is under the jurisdiction of Moreh police station, the second falls under the jurisdiction of Tengnoupal police station.
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A police team led by the OC of Moreh police station was moving in one Gypsy and two mini-trucks and they were negotiating a steep slope past Lokchao bridge when they were attacked by militants at a place known as Leingangtabi.
Two police personnel were killed in the attack while 11 others were wounded.
Around two hours later, a police team coming from Imphal was attacked between Thamnapokpi and Bongyang in which one police personnel who was on ROP duty was killed.
The two police personnel killed in the first attack have been identified as LS Lungrei Charanga (25) s/o late Leirung Charanga of Kharou Khunou, Rilam Centre and Md Ayub Khan (35) s/o Sallaudin of Yairipok Ningthounai.
They were Constables posted at Moreh police station.
The third police personnel killed in the second attack has been identified as Yengkhom Jiban (50) s/o late Angou of Thoubal Leishangthem.
He was a 2nd IRB personnel attached to Thoubal Commando.
He succumbed to bullet injuries on the way to Jiban Hospital, Kakching.
The injured police personnel have been identified as SI Laishram Pratap (37) of Khabam Makha Leikai, Head Constable Khangembam Saratkumar (41) of Kumbi, Constable Md Lukuman (26) of Thoubal Moijing, Head Constable Jangkholun Baite (39) of Lamlai Chingphei, VDF Nasir Ahmad (30) of Moreh, Head Constable Bashir Ahmad (40) of Yairipok Changamdabi Mathak, Constable Md Ayush Khan of Yairipok Ningthounai and Jangmingthang Touthang of Moreh.
While eight of them have been brought to Shija Hospital after first aid at Moreh Hospital, one has been taken to Jiban Hospital, Kakching.
The police team led by the OC of Moreh police station included 15 police personnel who were travelling in a single mini-truck.
They slowed down and stayed back at Leingangtabi when they were attacked by militants.
Lathode cells and spent bullets of M-16 rifle were recovered from the ambush site.
Notably, a camp of the Territorial Army is located near the ambush site.
Even as they were informed about the attack, they reached the site only after a gap of 30 minutes.
There was no Assam Rifles troop on ROP duty along the highway section.
It was only the police team led by the OC of Moreh police station which returned to the ambush site promptly and retaliated the gunfire.
Moreover there is an AR camp at Bongyang near the second ambush site.
Even though the first ambush site was not on the Chief Minister's route for the day, the Chief Minister and his entourage went past the second ambush site with additional security forces led by the DGP.