Second body of insurgent killed in Manipur ambush recovered

The army recovered the second body of an insurgent, who was injured in an ambush on an army convoy in Chandel district of Manipur on June 4, from a village close to Myanmar border.

Security sources said the body was recovered in the jungles of Leibung village near the ambush site yesterday and bore three bullet wounds. It is suspected that Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup cadre was left behind in the village after he succumbed to the injuries while being taken back by the insurgents.

Identification of the body will be performed at Imphal, a police source said.

The army had earlier recovered the body of National Socialist Council of Nagaland cadre on June 4.

As per communication intercepts, it was a group of about 25-28 insurgents who had carried out the deadly ambush, claiming lives of 18 armymen.

It is believed that the group has now divided itself into sub-groups of 4-5 men and are trying to make their way into Myanmar.

It is feared that 2-3 groups could have successfully moved out even though security forces have launched an extensive combing operation.

"There are two routes which can be used to get out of that area. Combing operation has started from both sides of the route and we hope to get some of the attackers," the sources told PTI.

The army believes that majority of the attackers came from KYKL and rest from Khaplang group of NSCN-K and the Kangleipak Communist Party.

The army is keen to carry out "joint operations" with Myanmar to take out "camps" across the border, the sources said even as they ruled out any "hot pursuit".

Hot pursuit is a term used when security forces cross borders in search of suspects who have crossed over.

Security sources have admitted that there was an intelligence failure and that a "sense of complacency" could have crept in as no attacks had happened in that area for long.

According to initial reports, there were four vehicles moving in the Moltung area of Chandel district when the ambush took place.

The insurgents had used "lathod guns" (used for firing grenades) along with automatic rifles. The first truck carrying about 5-6 soldiers also had barrels of fuel which exploded taking out the trucks behind it.

The second truck was carrying about 18-19 soldiers while the rest of the about 46 member-strong convoy were in the other trucks.

The bodies of majority of the soldiers were charred completely.