Imphal/Thoubal, August 23, 2026: In a significant counter-insurgency success nearly five years after one of the most shocking attacks on security forces in Manipur, a joint team of Assam Rifles and Manipur Police has arrested a key accused in the November 13, 2021 ambush that killed Colonel Viplav Tripathi, Commanding Officer of 46 Assam Rifles, his wife, their young son, and four other personnel.
The arrested individual has been identified as Thiyam Boycha Singh, alias Balin (also referred to as SS Capt Balin), a 28-year-old self-styled Captain of the proscribed People’s Liberation Army (PLA). He was apprehended on Saturday night (August 22) from Lilong Ushoipokpi (Ushoipokpi) in Thoubal district during a targeted, intelligence-based operation.
Details of the Arrest
According to official statements, the operation was conducted under the aegis of the Eastern Command by an Assam Rifles formation under Spear Corps, in close coordination with Manipur Police. Precise intelligence inputs generated by Assam Rifles indicated the militant’s presence in the area (with some reports noting initial tracking linked to Bishnupur district before the interception in Thoubal).
On-the-spot questioning confirmed his identity. He was carrying an NIA-declared bounty of ₹4 lakh and has been listed as the third accused (A-3) in the National Investigation Agency case related to the ambush. He had been declared an absconder. The accused was handed over to Lilong Police Station in Thoubal district for further legal proceedings.
Police and security forces stated that further questioning revealed he was part of the team that carried out the ambush on the CO of 46 Assam Rifles and six others at Behiang in Churachandpur on November 13, 2021. Initial interrogation also pointed to his deeper involvement in PLA activities, including undergoing training and a prolonged stay at a militant camp in Myanmar, procurement and transfer of war-like stores, and maintaining linkages with other militant groups.
The Army’s Eastern Command, in a post on X, described him as “a key accused in the 2021 #Churachandpur ambush case of Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his family members and security forces.” It added that the successful operation “reaffirms the resolve of security forces to disrupt insurgent networks and safeguard peace and stability in #Manipur.”
This arrest formed part of a broader set of coordinated operations across Thoubal, Kakching, Tengnoupal, Imphal East, and Imphal West districts in the preceding 24 hours, in which security forces (Manipur Police, Assam Rifles, and other Central forces) apprehended eight militants belonging to banned outfits including the PLA/Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), PREPAK, KYKL, and KCP. Arms, ammunition, incriminating documents, subscription receipts, cash, seals, and letterheads of banned groups were recovered from those arrested.
The 2021 Ambush: Background and Details
On the morning of November 13, 2021, a convoy of 46 Assam Rifles was ambushed near S Sehken (also referred to as Sehkan or Sialsih) village under Behiang police station in Churachandpur district, close to the India-Myanmar border along the Tedim Road.
Colonel Viplav Tripathi, the Commanding Officer, was returning from the Behiang company post to the battalion headquarters. Travelling with him were his wife Anuja Tripathi and their young son (reported in contemporary accounts as six to eight years old; some sources named him Abeer). The convoy consisted of multiple vehicles, including a black Bolero carrying the officer and his family.
Militants first triggered an improvised explosive device (IED) that hit the pilot vehicle (a Gypsy), bringing the convoy to a halt at a narrow (approximately 10-foot-wide), curving stretch of road surrounded by a thicket of trees—described by investigators and journalists who later visited the site as a “textbook-perfect” ambush location. This was followed by heavy automatic fire.
Seven people were killed: Colonel Viplav Tripathi, his wife, their son, and four Assam Rifles personnel—Rifleman Suman Swargiary, Rifleman Khatnei Konyak, Rifleman R.P. Meena, and Rifleman Shyamal Das. Several others, including members of the Quick Reaction Team, sustained injuries and were evacuated under challenging conditions amid bad weather.
The People’s Liberation Army (PLA) of Manipur and the Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF) jointly claimed responsibility. In their statement, they asserted that their cadres were unaware that the Commanding Officer’s family was travelling with the convoy and criticised the presence of families in a disturbed area.
The National Investigation Agency took over the case, registering it under provisions of the Indian Penal Code, the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, the Arms Act, and the Explosive Substances Act. In January 2022, the NIA announced cash rewards ranging from ₹4 lakh to ₹8 lakh on ten accused members of the PLA and MNPF involved in the attack. Balin was among those named, with a ₹4 lakh reward.
Over the years, several accused have been arrested in connection with the case, including Sagolshem Sanatomba Singh (an active PLA cadre and one of the prime accused on the NIA wanted list) in May 2025 from Thoubal district, and earlier arrests of MNPF cadres such as Machukring Zamshim Shimray and Solomon Jamir. The latest arrest of Balin marks another major step in closing the circle on the perpetrators of this particularly heinous attack that deliberately targeted not only security personnel but also family members.
Broader Context and Implications
The 2021 ambush remains one of the most traumatic incidents for Assam Rifles and the security establishment in the Northeast in recent years, both for the loss of a serving Commanding Officer and the killing of his wife and child. It highlighted the persistent threat from valley-based insurgent groups operating with cross-border linkages in Myanmar, even as overall violence levels in Manipur have fluctuated amid ethnic tensions and other security challenges since 2023.
Security forces have continued intensive operations against PLA, PREPAK, KYKL, and other groups involved in recruitment, extortion, arms procurement, and attacks. The successful joint working between Assam Rifles and Manipur Police in this case underscores the importance of intelligence-driven, coordinated efforts in a complex operational environment.
The arrested cadre’s alleged training and logistical role in Myanmar also points to the continuing challenges of cross-border militant infrastructure. Investigations are ongoing, and further questioning of Balin is expected to yield additional leads on remaining absconders and the broader network involved in the 2021 attack as well as current PLA activities.
This arrest reinforces the message that those involved in attacks on security forces and their families will be pursued relentlessly, regardless of the time that has elapsed.
