Rifleman Ratan Salam

Rifleman Ratan Salam hailed from Makha Leikai village of Kakching district in Manipur. He was recruited into 4 Assam Rif battalion of Assam Rifles, the oldest paramilitary force of India with its headquarters at Shillong. During the year 2020, 4 Assam Rifles battalion was engaged in defending the Indo-Myanmar border as well as conducting counter-insurgency operations near the border.

Khongtal Ambush (Indo-Myanmar Border): 29 July 2020

During 2020, Rifleman Ratan Salam’s unit 4 Assam Rif was deployed in Chandel district along the Indo-Myanmar border. As the AOR(Area of Responsibility) of the unit was affected by militancy, the unit troops were engaged in operations against the militants on a frequent basis. The unit launched regular patrols to monitor suspicious activities as part of their operations to keep militancy under check. On July 29, 4 Assam Rif launched an area domination patrol in Khongtal in Chandel district near the Indo-Myanmar border area. The Khongtal village fell under the jurisdiction of Chakpikarong in Chandel district about 100 km from Imphal in Manipur. When the patrol team comprising 15 soldiers including Rfn Ratan Salam was returning after the operation, the suspected militants blasted IED bombs, which was followed by firing by the militants.

The Manipur Naga People’s Front (MNPF), the Revolutionary People’s Front (RPF), and the United Liberation Front of Asom – Independent (ULFA-I) claimed responsibility for the attack. These suspected organizations were engaged in anti-national activities and often attacked security forces. The IED blast was devastating and did not give time for the soldiers to react. Rfn Ratan Salam, Hav Pranay Kalita, and Rfn Methna Konyak got seriously injured in the blast and succumbed to their injuries. The other injured soldiers were shifted to the Army hospital for medical treatment. Rfn Ratan Salam was a brave and dedicated soldier, who laid down his life in the line of his duty.