Imphal, June 04 2009: Two non-local labourers including one suspected to be a driver of ANSAL Properties and Infrastructures Limited, currently engaged in construction of Maphou Dam have been shot dead by unidentified persons while a suspected UG cadre has been slain in a reported encounter with a combined team of security forces.

The two non-local labourers were shot dead on the road connecting Irengbam and Leimram under Nambol police station in Bishnupur district at about 4 pm today.

On the other hand, one UG suspect was killed in an encounter with a combined team of Thoubal police commandos and troops of 20 AR at Karongthel, to the East of Heirok at about 3.50 this morning.

Two pieces of paper declaring "if IOF kill our innocent civilians, we will kill your people too" were found from the two deceased non-local people, informed a police source.

The two corpses bearing bullet wounds on different body parts have been picked up by police and deposited at RIMS mortuary.

Identity card recovered from one of the two had the name of Md Tomba (42) s/o late Abdul Rahim of Islamabad, Jiribam.

The designation of the individual was given as senior driver of ANSAL.

ANSAL is currently engaged in construction of Maphou Dam, a component of the Thoubal Multipurpose Project.

The other individual is also suspected to be a labourer working for the company.

Police have recovered a jeep (Mahindra, Armada) from the spot suspected to have been used by the killers.

The jeep was seen driven towards the direction of Leimram not long before gun shots were heard, said the police source quoting eye-witnesses.

Meanwhile, a press release issued by Thoubal SSP Clay Khongsai informed that an encounter ensued when a combined team of Thoubal police commandos and troops of 20 AR, acting on specific information about movement of UG cadres in the surrounding area of Karongthel and Lamlong, launched a search operation there.

Soon after the search operation was launched, the security personnel were attacked by UG cadres using sophisticated weapons from the side of the hills resulting in a shoot-out for about 15 minutes in which one suspected UG cadre was killed.

One AK-56 rifle, two magazines, 17 live rounds and one radio set were recovered from the slain individual, added the SSP's release.

Meanwhile, the deceased has been identified as Nongmaithem Rajmohon (24) s/o Shantipur of Kakching Turel Wangma.

He has been missing since yesterday when he left to gather vegetables from a vegetable farm located at Kakching Moirang Pat.