Imphal, September 07, 2009: Manipur police commandos and security forces today killed seven underground cadres including three KYKL (MDF) and four KLA cadres in two separate gun clash and recovered cache of sophisticated weapons.

The three cadres of KYKL (MDF) were killed in a clash with Bishnupur district police commandos today busted hideouts of the group at a forest at Ningthoukhong Chingmang on the road to Wakha located 10 kilometer south of Kumbi police station from Kumbi police station this afternoon this afternoon.

While, the four KLA cadres were killed by the troops of 12 Maratha Light Infantry at Litan in Ukhrul district tonight at about 6 o'clock, official reports said.

SP, Bishnupur district Jayentakumar said the three MDF cadres were gunned down during a gunfight with the district police commandos who rushed to the area on getting information that some cadres of the group engaged in extortion of money are taking shelter Haotak, Tampha Khunou and Nganukhong area.

He further said that police are on looking for the undergrounds who were suspected to be behind the killing of driver of an Imphal-Churachandpur service bus, Ngongo.

Police believed that cadres of MDF who served Rs 2 lakh each from the buses playing on this route had killed the driver.

Police commandos cordon off the forest area after pointing out the shelter point of the undergrounds from four directions from this morning at about 6. At the start of the operation, firings were initiated from the underground side in which police commandos retaliated resulting to a brief exchange of fire.

In the clash three of the cadres killed, the SP said.

Undergrounds fired several rounds of guns.

They also fired towards the commandos using mortar shells.

At least four shells fired towards the commando personnel.

Other militants made good to their escape taking advantage of the thick forest, he added.

In the further search operation in the area, one each of AK-56 rifles loaded with eight live rounds, M-16 with 17 live round and two empty cases, 9 mm pistol with two live rounds along with one wireless set recovered from the hideouts along with seven demand letters signed by its finance secretary Khaba Mangang.

Some utensils and households materials were also recovered.

Three huts of six men capacity each were also found at the spot which police personnel burnt down later.

SP, Jayentakumar talking further to reporters at his office complex said, they believed of at least 18 cadres of the group taking shelter at the place.

A generator set was also found there.

The cadres were apparently preparing for making meal as some raw eating material also found at one of the huts.

Police also came to know that the cadres taking shelter there were under the command of one Borajao alias Rax haling from Wangoo Tera Sabal Leikai who was once arrested by the police at several occasion and even detained under NSA, he added.

All the three dead bodies have been collected from the spot by the Kumbi police and deposited at RIMS morgue for official procedure.

Though it was not officially confirm, they were residence of Kakching Khunou, Langathel and Bishnupur.

Meanwhile, four persons said to be cadres of KLA have also been gunned down by the troops of 12 MLi tonight at about 6.15 pm at Mukotchepo village under Litan police station of Ukhrul district.

One of four killed is said to be civilian driver.

The troops of MLi were posting at Imphal airport and they came to the area under operational area of 23 Assam Rifles.

Sources said that they enter to the area without prior information to the Assam Rifles posting there.

With regard to the non-passing of the information, a conflict erupted between the two forces.Source also said that all the slain persons were members of the KLA and coming to the area to show up their families but MLi reportedly claimed that together 12 people all of them KLA cadres came there.

But after the killing of four of them, the whereabouts and faiths of the remaining persons could not be revealed.