The Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles (Khuga Battalion) Col Viplav Tripati along with his family and four Quick Reaction Team (QRT) personnel were killed in an ambush by militants in Churachandpur district of Manipur on Saturday morning.

The unidentified militants opened fire using automatic rifles of AK series after blasting some powerful remote-controlled  bombs near the Sekhen village, about 3 KM away from Behang sub-division in the district which is adjacent to Myanmar and Mizoram. The injured personnel were rushed to the primary health centre in the sub-division  and later evacuated using two helicopters. More seriously injured personnel are likely to be airlifted to the military hospital at Leimakhong in Nagaland.

The CO while moving along with his wife, six year old son and Quick Reaction Team was ambushed with Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) at Sehkan village, Singhat Subdivision in Churachandpur district.

“In the firefight which followed with the militants, suspected People’s revolutionary party of Kanglepak (PREPAK)/ People’s Liberation Army (PLA) cadres, the CO and three QRT personnel lost their lives on the spot. The family of the CO, his wife and 6 year old son, also lost their lives. The other injured personnel were admitted at Behianga health care centre,” an Assam Rifles officer said.

Col Tripati had until July 2021 served in Mizoram before he moved to Khuga in Churachandpur district in Manipur.

“The cowardly attack on an Assam Rifles convoy in Churachandpur, Manipur is extremely painful and 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,” Defence Minister Rajnath Singh on social media.

It is 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, an officer on the ground said.

“Strongly condemn the cowardly attack on a convoy of 46 AR which has reportedly killed few personnel including the CO and his family at CCpur today. The State forces and Para military are already on their job to track down the militants. The perpetrators will be brought to justice,” said Manipur Chief Minister N. Biren Singh on Twitter.

War on drugs

During Col Tripati’s tenure in Mizoram, the Battalion has done major seizures of drugs and had several successful operations in the efforts to disrupt illegal smuggling including narcotics along the India-Myanmar border and hinterland. “The Battalion has also recovered several weapons and War like stores which could have landed in the hands of anti-national elements thus avoiding major casualties,” the officer above stated.

“The anti-drug campaign conducted by his battalion in January 2021 received several laurels and praise and the awareness created by him in the entire state won him the laurels from locals,” the officer cited above, who had also worked with him, said.