Khomdram Ojit Singh (in pink short) flanked by Assam Rifles and Manipur Police personnel. (Photo via Facebook)
Imphal/New Delhi: Security forces have arrested the prime suspect in the deadly ambush of an Assam Rifles convoy that claimed two lives in Manipur last week. Khomdram Ojit Singh, alias Keilal, a 47-year-old member of the banned insurgent group People’s Liberation Army (PLA), was apprehended during a predawn operation on Wednesday in the Kameng area of Imphal West district.
The joint operation, conducted by Manipur Police, the 33 Assam Rifles, and other security agencies, also led to the recovery of a substantial weapons cache.
The September 19 ambush on the Assam Rifles soldiers occurred at 5.50pm when militants opened fire on their convoy travelling along National Highway-2 at Nambol Sabal Leikai in Bishnupur district, approximately 15 kilometres from the state capital, Imphal.
The convoy was traveling from the Patsoi Company Operating Base to Nambol Company Operating Base when it came under intense fire. Significantly, the attack occurred on the same route used by the prime minister, Narendra Modi, during his visit to Manipur six days earlier on September 13.
Naib Subedar Shyam Gurung and Rifleman Ranjit Singh Kashyap died in the attack, while five other personnel were wounded, as India Sentinels had reported.
As India Sentinels had reported in its earlier report, the ambush highlighted critical vulnerabilities in areas where the Armed Forces (Special Powers) Act has been withdrawn. The attack location falls within a denotified area not covered under AFSPA, significantly limiting the operational powers of security forces.
The selective application of AFSPA has drawn criticism from security experts, who argue that excluding valley districts from its coverage has compromised the ability of forces to respond effectively to emerging threats. The Kuki Liberation Army stated that AFSPA exclusion from Meitei-dominated areas has “arguably compromised the capacity of security forces to respond to emerging threats and maintain order”.
Breakthrough and weapons recovery
The investigation gained momentum on September 20 when security forces detained two suspects and recovered a silver-blue van believed to have been used in the attack from Mutum Yangbi in Imphal West district.
The major breakthrough came during Tuesday’s coordinated operation around 1am when Singh was captured. During interrogation, he confessed to his direct involvement in the ambush and revealed that he and his accomplices had fled towards the Loktak lake area after the attack, concealing their weapons at a secret location.
Acting on Singh’s confession, security forces recovered a significant arsenal from the Loktak Lake area, including one A4 rifle with four magazines, one Heckler & Koch rifle with two magazines, two AK rifles with five magazines, and one Insas rifle with three magazines. The cache also contained three lathode shells, 170 rounds of AK ammunition, 216 rounds of M-16 ammunition, and 67 rounds of Insas ammunition.
Manipur’s ‘People’s Liberation Army’
The PLA serves as the armed wing of the banned Revolutionary People’s Front, a Meitei insurgent organization founded on September 25, 1978. The group seeks to establish an independent socialist Manipur and has maintained an estimated strength of approximately 3,800 members.
The organization has historical connections with China’s People’s Liberation Army, with early recruits receiving training in China. It maintains a government-in-exile in Bangladesh and operates through four divisions covering different areas of Manipur.
Singh, despite being on bail from a previous arrest on April 22, 2007, admitted to being an active PLA member during questioning. His arrest represents a significant achievement for security forces operating under the constraints of AFSPA denotification.
Ambush’s broader context
The September 19 attack marked the first assault on central security forces in Manipur since July 14, 2024, when a Central Reserve Police Force jawan was killed in Jiribam district. The incident occurred against the backdrop of ongoing ethnic tensions between Meitei and Kuki-Zo communities that erupted in May 2023, resulting in over 260 deaths and displacing approximately 50,000 people.
Manipur has been under president’s rule since February 2025 following the resignation of the chief minister, N Birendra Singh. The state continues to witness sporadic violence amid the ethnic conflict.
Manipur’s director general of police, Rajiv Singh, confirmed that interrogation of the arrested suspect continues, with several leads established for tracking down other accomplices. Security forces are conducting ongoing raids to apprehend the remaining perpetrators.
Local communities in the Nambol area staged protests following the attack, condemning the assault on security forces. Both Meitei and Kuki-Zo organizations have denounced the ambush, with the Kuki-Zo Council describing it as a “cowardly and brutal attack”.
The successful arrest demonstrates the effectiveness of coordinated intelligence-driven operations despite operational constraints in AFSPA-denotified areas, though experts question the long-term security arrangements in the troubled region.
