Imphal, September 22 2009: Four suspected UG cadres have been killed in two separate incidents of gun violence in the last 24 hours.

Two youths were found shot dead at Nongren foothills under Lamlai police station in Imphal East district this morning.

On the other hand, two suspected UG cadres were slain in a reported encounter with Thoubal police commandos at Sekmaijin Khunou under Kakching police station at about 11.15 am today, said a police source.

The two youths shot dead by unidentified persons at Nongren have been identified as Laithangbam Regan alias Tompok alias Boyai (30) son of Bihari of Chingnungkhok Mamang Leikai and Soreishang (26) son of late Titus of neighbouring Tungkoi village.

According to information culled from the locality, Regan was a field captain of KCP-MC (Lanheiba group).

Soreishang was also a cadre of the same outfit.

They were taken away at gun point by a group of armed persons while they were watching television at a house in the neighbouring village of Happy Valley at about 7 pm yesterday.

Local people could hear gun shots at about 10 pm.

Both of them suffered fatal bullet injuries on the heads.

The local people came across the corpses this morning.

Tompok used to work for the KCP about 10 years back.

He left home about two years ago.

He went away with Soreishang at about 6 pm yesterday.

He left behind his wife and a three year old son.

Soreishang joined the outfit about two years back.

Though he had divorced his wife, he left behind a daughter.

Both the corpses have been handed over to family members after post mortem at RIMS today.

On the other hand, Thoubal police commandos and suspected UG cadres were reportedly engaged in a gun-fight at a fish farm between Khoidumpat and Sekmaijin Khunou at about 11.15 am today.

A press release issued by Thoubal SSP, Clay Khongsai, said that Thoubal police commandos, based on information that suspected PREPAK militants were taking shelter at Sekmaijin Khunou with an intention to carry out prejudicial activities in Sekmaijin area, rushed towards Sekmaijin Khunou.

At about 11.15 am, as the commandos started the search operations, 4/5 armed youths suspected to be PREPAK cadres ran out of a house towards Khoidumpat and fired at the commandos, after taking position in a fish farm.

The commandos retaliated resulting in an encounter which lasted for 5/6 minutes.

While two suspected UG cadres were killed in the encounter, others managed to make good their escape.

One 9 mm pistol with magazine containing one live round and another pistol with a magazine containing two live rounds were recovered from the two slain individuals, said the police source.

After post-mortem at Lilong PHC, the two corpses have been deposited at RIMS mortuary.

It is reported that the two slain individuals might be Tombi of Sekmaijin Laimanai and Imu of Sekmaijin Khunou Litan.