Imphal, April 02 2009: Thoubal police commandos have killed at least three suspected underground activists in a joint operation with troops of 34 Assam Rifles in two separate shoot out incidents since last night.

One of the suspects was killed around 1.30 am today on the by-lane leading to Thoubal Khunou near the Thoubal College while the other two were gunned down at Kakching Khunyai Leikai under Kakching police station tonight around 9 pm, official report said.

Police claimed recovery of a 9mm pistol with two live rounds of ammunitions in a magazine and a .38 hand grenade from the slain suspect who was later today identified as one Md Noorkhan alias Arish (24), youngest son of Md Ningthem of Lilong Mairenkhong.

Family identified the dead body this afternoon at around 3 pm at RIMS morgue.

The dead body was deposited at RIMS morgue by the police this morning at around 8.30 am.

The slain man was a mason.

He went out from home yesterday afternoon to watch a sport meet held at the locality.

After watching the sports, he left the place with one of his local friends named Md Sajikhan and failed to return back home the night, family said.

The same combined force also gunned down two more suspects tonight at around 9 pm at Kakching Khunyai and recovered one 9mm pistol with four live rounds, a lathod bomb along with a NV brand Scooter MN 05-7173 .

Police said the two slain youths who came with the scooter initiated firing towards the combined force conducting normal patrolling there.

They were killed during a brief encounter after the combined force retaliated.

Police is yet to officially confirm the identities of the slain youths but information received from Kakching expressed fear that they would be Mayengbam Nanao (27) son of late Anou of Wabagai Yangbi and Ahongsangbam Chorjit (32) son of Maipak of Wabagai Thingel who were picked up by Thoubal district police commandos earlier.

Whether they were those two youths rounded up by the police commandos could not be officially confirmed till the time of filing this report.