Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, December 24 2009:
In all, nine suspected underground activists were shot dead by Assam Rifles personnel in three separate encounters that took place in different parts of the State including a remote hill area.
In a statement, PRO of Assam Rifles said that in the first incident, seeing the movements of KYKL cadres in the general area of Thiyam Konjin and Waithou, troops of 28 Assam Rifles of 9 Sector Assam Rifles established multiple ambushes which resulted in the elimination of three cadres.
Eight live rounds of 9 mm, five live rounds of AK-47, seven fired cartridges, one 7.62 mm USA made rifle with magazine, three 9 mm pistols with magazine and pocket diary with names and details for demand of money have been recovered from the slain cadres, said the PRO.
Quoting report of the Assam Rifles, police said that the first encounter took place between personnel of 28 Assam Rifles and suspected armed UGs along the road leading to Waithou Chiru village under Lilong Police Station at around 9.30 pm yesterday.
In the ensuing encounter, Assam Rifles gunned down three UG suspects an recovered one country made 9 mm pistol, eight live rounds of 9 mm ammunition, six live rounds of AK ammunition and a pocket diary from their possession.
In the second encounter which took place near a village along the embankment of Manipur river in remote Leiboldung hills situated in between Chandel and Churachandpur district at around 10 minutes past midnight, personnel of 8 Assam Rifles shot dead six UG suspects.
The Assam Rifles PRO said that the second incident occurred when troops of 8 Assam Rifles of 26 Sector AR launched operations in the general area of Laibol Dung in Chandel district and in the course of operation the troops noticed suspicious movement at about 12.20 am of December 24.
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The troops came under heavy fire and in the ensuing gun fight three cadres were killed.
One AK-47 Rifle with magazine, 69 live rounds of AK 47 and 2 grenades were recovered from the slain cadres.
Later at about 2.30 am the same column noticed some movement in the general area of Laibol Dung, said the PRO further and added the troops engaged them to an encounter.
In the ensuing shoot out three more cadres were killed.
One M-16 rifle with magazine, 72 M-16 ammunition, one .38 revolver and eleven .38 ammunition were recovered, added the PRO.
All the six slain were PREPAK cadres, said the statement.
After the 8th Assam Rifles handed over all the six bodies to the Lamphel police station today, the same have been kept at the mortuary of RIMS Hospital for identification.
Among the six slain UG suspects, one was clad in camouflage combat dress and canvass hunting boots while the rest in civilian dresses.
Meanwhile, out of the three UG suspects shot dead in the Waithou encounter, one has been identified as Boiler Kom (35) of Senpanggar, near Moirang, who is said to be the general secretary of Komrem Development Organisation.