Rajnath Singh orders "strongest" action against militants in Manipur

NEW DELHI: Home Minister Rajnath Singh today directed security forces to take "strongest possible action" against militants involved in killing six Assam Rifles personnel in Manipur.

Singh reviewed the situation with Union Home Secretary Rajiv Mehrishi and other top officials in the security establishment following the killing of a Junior Commissioned Officer and five jawans of Assam Rifles in an ambush in Manipur's Chandel district close to Indo-Myanmar border, official sources said.

The Home Minister also spoke to Assam Rifles Director General, who apprised him of the situation and action taken so far.

Singh expressed sadness over the incident.

An Assam Rifles convoy was attacked by heavily armed militants around 1 PM in Joupi Hengshi area of Chandel when the security personnel were returning after inspecting a landslide site in the interior tribal district, defence and police sources said.

It is suspected that two or more militant groups jointly carried out the attack.

Reinforcements have been rushed to the scene of the ambush and a massive combing operation is under way.

Last year, 18 army personnel were killed in the same district in an ambush by NSCN(K) militants.