Two Assam Rifles personnel died and five were critically injured in the attack, reviving memories of past ethnic violence in Manipur.
BY PC Bureau
September 20, 2025 – The Kuki-Zo Council (KZC) has issued a strong condemnation of the deadly ambush on an Assam Rifles convoy in Bishnupur district’s Nambol Sabal Leikai area. The attack, which occurred on September 19 around 5:50 PM, left two Assam Rifles personnel dead and five critically injured.
In its statement, the KZC squarely blamed Meitei militant groups, calling the strike a “cowardly and brutal attack” that “once again exposes the violent, anti-national, and secessionist character of the Meitei militant groups.”
The council linked the ambush to a pattern of violence, recalling the 2021 killing of Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife, and young son by Meitei militants. “Such repeated assaults on India’s security forces are not isolated incidents but part of a continuing hostility against the Indian State,” the KZC said.
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The ambush comes amid a long-running conflict between Manipur’s Meitei majority and the Kuki-Zo minority. Tensions exploded in May 2023 with widespread ethnic violence, which the KZC described as systematic targeting of their community. The council alleged that during the 2023 unrest, over 250 Kuki-Zo lives were lost, women were raped and bodies mutilated, more than 7,000 homes and 360 places of worship were destroyed, and over 40,000 people were displaced.
“These acts amount to ethnic cleansing,” the KZC said, adding that the violence revealed “not only the brutality of the Meiteis but also the complete absence of humanity, sympathy, and compassion.”
#BREAKING: 🚨 Manipur | Assam Rifles convoy ambushed near Nambol Sabal Leikai (Bishnupur).
2 Bravehearts martyred, several injured.
Search ops underway, attackers on the run. #Manipur #AssamRifles #Breaking @official_dgar pic.twitter.com/IOM377aAPC— Nihal Kumar (@JRNNihal) September 19, 2025
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The council further accused the Meitei community of monopolizing development funds meant for the tribal hill districts, leaving Kuki-Zo populations neglected for decades. It claimed the current violence is part of a larger “project” to drive the community from its ancestral lands. “The cumulative evidence of violence, discrimination, and oppression makes it abundantly clear that peaceful coexistence under the same administrative framework with the Meiteis is no longer possible,” the statement said.
The KZC urged the Government of India to recognize the “gravity of the situation” and move towards a separate administrative setup to ensure the safety and survival of the Kuki-Zo people.
As of now, authorities have not issued an official response. The region remains tense, with the latest ambush deepening fears of renewed escalation.
