Assam Rifles Col, family members killed in Manipur ambush; tributes pour in

An Assam Rifles Colonel, his family members and three jawans were killed in a massive ambush staged by unidentified militants in Manipur's Churachandpur district on Saturday, police said.

Colonel Viplav Tripathi, the Commanding Officer of Khuga Battalion of Assam Rifles, his wife and six-year-old son, besides four personnel of the paramilitary force were killed in an ambush in Manipur on Saturday morning.

According to unofficial sources, the driver of the Colonel's vehicle was also gunned down, taking the overall death toll to seven.

Police said the incident took place near Sehken village as the heavily armed militants fired upon the convoy of the Assam Rifles Colonel killing him, his wife, their son and three Quick Reaction Team jawans on the spot.

The militants attacked the convoy when the Colonel of the 46 Battalion of the Assam Rifles was going to supervise a civic action programme in the Churachandpur, bordering Myanmar.

Terrorists first carried out IED blast to ambush the convoy of 46 Assam Rifles Commanding Officer Colonel Viplav Tripathi and then fired at the vehicles in Churachandpur, Manipur. The officer was returning from his forward company base to his battalion headquarters, news agency ANI quoted Army officials as saying.

So far, no militant organisation has claimed responsibility for the attack.

The police and security forces have launched a massive search operation to nab the militants.

Manipur has over 40 outlawed insurgent groups.

Manipur chief minister N Biren Singh has condemned the attack on the convoy of 46 Battalion of the Assam Rifles:

The Congress leader paid tributes to the martyrs and said that this attack on the convoy once again proves that the Modi govt is incapable of protecting the country:

PM Modi too paid homage to the soldiers and family members martyred in the attack:

Condemning the attack, defence minister Rajnath Singh expressed his anguish over losing 5 security personnel and the Colonel's family members.

West Bengal Chief Minister Mamata Banerjee expressed anguish over the killing of five Assam Rifles personnel in Manipur on Saturday and described the attack by militants as "dastardly".

"I strongly condemn the dastardly attack by militants on a convoy of 46 Assam Rifles in Manipur. It pains me to learn that we have lost five brave soldiers, including the CO & his family members," she tweeted.

"Heartfelt condolences to the bereaved families. The entire nation awaits justice!" Banerjee said in the Twitter post.

With IANS inputs