Imphal, January 02 2008: WITH 497 deaths recorded till December 31 in the state, fatalities in 2008 have surpassed the 408 deaths in militancy-related fatalities in 2007.The fatalities figure also put Manipur in the top in the vortex of violence in the states of India's Northeast, Assam with 384 in the second while with 201 deaths Nagaland in the third position.

With 408 deaths in the year 2007, Manipur remains the second most conflict ridden State in the northeast, behind Assam with 437 fatalities.

Fatalities in 2007 have already surpassed the 285 militancy-related fatalities that occurred in Manipur in 2006.Now the fatalities in 2008 have surpassed the previous year 2007 by 89 .

On the other hand even though fatalities have increased among all categories in the last eight year since 2000, in the just year 2008 militant fatalities have increased among other two categories, fatalities of the civilian and security force.

According to the compiled data of the insurgency related killings in Manipur maintained by the Union ministry of home affairs till December 22, a total of the 484 people died in militancy-related fatalities in Manipur, out of which 131 were civilians, 13 were security force personnel while 340 were militants.

Apart from this a total of eight people which police claimed to be militants killed in the span of nine day from December 23 till today.

The number includes the killing of the army chief and commander of highway task force of the proscribed KCP identified as Akoijam Shyambi alias Kokai Meitei in a shoot out took place at Koirengei in Imphal east last night by the government force.

As per the MHA data the fatality in 2000 in 246 (93 civilian, 51 security force and 102 militants), 256 in 2001(70 civilian, 25 SF and 161 militants, 190 in 2002 (36 civilian, 53 SF and 101 militants), 198 in 2003 (27 civilian, 23SF and 148 militants, 218 in 2004 (50 civilians, 41 SF and 127 militants), 331 in 2005 ( 138 civilian, 50 SF and 143 militants), 285 in 2006 (107 civilians, 37 SF, 141 militant), 408 in 2007 (150 civilian, 40 SF and 218 militants and 484 in 2008 till December 22, 2008 (131 civilian, 13 SF and 340 militant).

With 58 deaths (29, civilian, 1SF and 28 militant) March month recorded highest in deaths while August month with 22 (2 civilian, 3 SF and 17 militant) recorded the lowest in militancy-related fatalities.

Month-wise fatalities indicates 24 (14 civilian, 10 militant) deaths in January, 42 in February (14 civilian), 1 SF and 27 militant), 58 in March (29 civilian, 1, SF and 28 militants, 40 in April (10 civilian, and 30 militant, 22 in May (3 civilian, 2 SF and 22 militant), 50 in June ( 12 civilian), 2 SF and 36 militant) 45 in July (7 civilian, 38 militant), 22 in August (2 civilian, 3 SF and 17 militant, 50 in September (7 civilian,1 SF and 42 militant), 47 in October (18 civilian, 3 SF and 26 militant), 38 in November (9 civilian and 29 militants and 34 in December (till 22 Dec) (6 civilian and 28 militant).

Some important militancy-related fatalities are�
December 8: Five suspected PREPAK cadres are shot dead by Thoubal District Police at Langathel Thongkhong under Kakching Police Station.

December 1: Three suspected KCP cadres are shot dead by a combined team of Thoubal District Police and personnel of Assam Rifles during an encounter at Yairipok Pechi Junction under Yairipok Police Station.

November 26: Around five to six militants force six contractor workers out of their vehicles and open fire on them, killing five, when they were engaged in collecting soil near the Maphou dam site in Nongdam Tangkhul.

The Masphu dam is being built over the Thoubal River at the tri-junction of Imphal East, Senapati and Ukhrul Districts. November 21: Three militants are shot dead by a team of Assam Rifles and Police at Nongren in the Imphal East District.

November 17: Three suspected militants are shot dead by the Assam Rifles personnel during an encounter at Sajik Tampak under Kakching Police Station limits in the Thoubal District along the India-Myanmar border.

October 23: Five cadres of the Military Council faction of the KCP and PULF are shot dead by a combined team of the Imphal East District Police commandos and personnel of 39 Assam Rifles during an encounter at Heingang Heibimakhong Ching under Heingang Police Station.

October 21: At least 18 persons are killed and over 30 persons injured when a bomb fitted to a motorcycle explodes near the high security Ragailong gate in capital Imphal.

The explosion site is very close to the rear headquarters of 20 Assam Rifles and the Manipur Police commando complex.

The Military Council faction of the KCP claims responsibility for bomb blast.

September 24: Three suspected cadres of the Military Council faction of the KCP are shot dead by a joint team of Imphal West District Police and Assam Rifles of the Red Shield Division at Thangjing Chiru under Patsoi Police Station.

September 10: Three persons are shot dead by the suspected militants at Pangong Wangma near a suspension bridge on the Iril River under Porompat Police Station in the Imphal East District.

September 8: Five suspected PREPAK militants are shot dead by SFs during an encounter at Ngakrapat in the Bishnupur District.

One woman is also wounded in the crossfire.

July 19: Three children are killed and two others sustained injuries when a bomb explodes at a playground in the Phaisanjang village under Moreh Police Station in Chandel District.

July 1: Three suspected KYKL militants while attempting to set ablaze a hijacked school bus are killed by Imphal East District Police during an encounter at Langol Games Village zone-III under Lamphel Police Station.

Three suspected PREPAK cadres are shot dead by the Imphal East District Police during an encounter at Laphupokpi.

June 12: Three KNA cadres are killed during a factional clash with the KRA at Molkon village under Saikul Police Station in the Senapati District.

One India Reserve Battalion personnel, Paokholun Lhungdim, is reported to have been killed in the crossfire.

June 11 & 12: Four militants belonging to the Azad faction of the PULF, including one 'District commander' Altab Ali alias Sana, are killed when a combined force of Imphal East District Police and troops of Assam Rifles neutralise a hideout of the outfit at the foothills of Urup Kangthak village under Irilbung Police Station.

Three other slain militants are identified as Mohmmed Sadam, Mohammed Amubi alias Feroz Khan, and Mohammed Dilip.

Meanwhile, nine militants manage to escape from the hideout.

June 9: Two KNA cadres and one KRA cadre are killed during a factional clash between two outfits at Molkon village under Saikul Police Station in the Senapati District.

One KRA cadre was injured in the clash.

May 1: Two Assam Rifles personnel, Rifleman R.K.Trichi and Rifleman B.T.Barbar, are killed while four others sustained injuries when the UNLF ambushed troops travelling on security convoys at two places in the New Somtal area in Chandel district.

While one attack occurred at an unspecified location between Phairengkot and Hrengkot villages, the other occurred at Molcham.

April 24: Three suspected militants were shot dead by Manipur Police at Langol Games Village under Lamphel police station in the Imphal West district.

According to police sources, all the three slain militants belonged to the Muslim community.

Two 9-mm pistols with four live rounds and six empty cases were recovered from their possession.

April 14: Three militants � two from the NSCN-K and one from the rival NSCN-IM � are killed in a factional clash.

The incident occurred when armed NSCN-IM cadres 'raided' a place near Tousem GHS in the Tamenglong district where some NSCN-K cadres were hiding.

The slain NSCN-K militants are identified as Seilor of Tisimpuikam village in Nagaland and Duamthaolung of Theulam village in the Tamenglong district of Manipur.

'Lance corporal' Wangsili of NSCN-IM were also killed in the clash.

March 24: Three persons, including two girls, were killed by the PREPAK militants in the Thoubal district.

March 18: Unidentified militants kill seven non-local labourers and injure two others.

While five persons were killed at Thumbi foothill in the Kangla Sangomsang area of Imphal East district, two others were shot dead at Kakching in Thoubal district.

Many of the non-locals abducted by the militants escaped death after they were rescued by the locals.

March 18: The president of the Kuki Revolutionary Army-Unification (KRA-U), Seitnmang Chongloi, along with three others, who were allegedly involved in the murder of KRA founder member and commander-in-chief K Hangsing in New Delhi in November 2007, are killed by the KRA militants at Saikhul in Senapati district.

The slain persons include Bungkholal Chongloi, who contested in the Assembly elections twice from the Kangpokpi constituency and was also a retired jailer, Paochang Chongloi and Nehjahan Chongloi.

March 17: At least seven non-Manipuris are shot dead by unidentified militants at Mayang Imphal Hanglun in the capital Imphal.

The victims were sellers of tobacco products, which were banned by the PLA.

February 22: Five KRA militants, including an old man and four child recruits, are abducted and subsequently killed by suspected militants of the KLA at an unspecified place along the road leading to Thangal Surung from Ekou Bazar under Saikul police station of Senapati district.

The slain militants are identified as Hanpau Chongloi, Public Relations Officer of the KRA, Pouginlal Hangsing, Lamgoumang Louvum, Jangmilal Hangsing, and Seigoulen Khongsai.

A vehicle hijacked by the slain militants is also set ablaze by the suspected KLA cadres in the incident site.