Northeast Desk, 6th November: Videos have emerged, revealing how the Assam Rifles successfully rescued heavily wounded Manipur Police commandos who were cornered by militants during an ambush on a highway.
The dramatic footage provides a firsthand perspective of the daring rescue operation conducted from inside an armored vehicle.
The insurgents hiding on a hill ambushed a reinforcement convoy of Manipur Police commandos on the highway near Sinam Village in the Tengnoupal district on October 31.
The commandos were en route to Moreh, located 115 km from Imphal, to provide reinforcements after a senior police officer had been killed by an insurgent sniper while overseeing the construction of a helipad in the border town.
This town had been witnessing violent clashes in recent months between the Meitei, who inhabit the valley, and the hill-dwelling Chin-Kuki tribes.
The viral videos depict Assam Rifles soldiers inside an armored Casspir mine-resistant vehicle approaching a bend in the highway at a measured pace.
As soon as the road straightens, the armored truck comes under a barrage of gunfire. The gunfire from the hillside traps a long line of Manipur Police commando SUVs on the roadside.
The footage shows chaos inside the Casspir, with blood on the metal floor. However, the troops maintain their composure and professionalism, returning fire as the armored vehicle maneuvers out of the danger zone.
The Assam Rifles troops immediately evacuated three injured commandos to a hospital, and fortunately, no casualties were reported.
Read More: Meghalaya CM Chairs Meetings on District Hospital Transformation and Water Conservation