Imphal, December 28 2008: KILLING OF a relative of a former MLA of the Manipur Legislative Assembly by the security forces in what they claimed in encounter in which family and locals denied erupted anger to the residents of the Hiyanglam in Thoubal district and blocked an inter-district road (Mayai Lambi road) today.

The blocking of the inter-district road means disturbing the transportation of local fish and other winter vegetables to Imphal as the road is one of the main routes reaching these items to Imphal.

A man named Maibam Ratan (36) son of Thoiba of Hiyanglam Awang Leikai under Kakiching police station was gunned down by a combined force of Assam Rifles and police commandos on the intervening night of December 26 and 27.He was the son of elder brother of former MLA M Kunjo from Hiyanglam Assembly Constituency.

Police said he was among a group of armed militants and killed in encounter with the combined force and claimed recovery of a .36 hand grenade (foreign make), three empty cases and one empty case of AK rifles from the spot where his dead body was retrieved.

Other militants managed escape from the spot, they added.

However, family and locals strongly denied the allegation and said that he was picked up by security forces from his home on that night at around 9.30 pm and killed later in fake encounter.

Decrying the killing of the man, residents of Hiyanglam took to the street from this morning and blocked the road as resolved by the JAC formed in connection with the killing of Ratan.

All the vehicles coming from both sides were forces to turn back before crossing the road at Hiyanglam.

The blockade of the road continued till late evening without any disturbances from the police side, according to a local report.

A sit-in protest was also staged to register strong protest against the killing of innocent man was also staged during the protest in which several womenfolk of the area participated.

The people are demanding booking of the erring security personnel and bring justice in the killing of the local man.