Imphal, January 17 2009: Four suspected underground activists have been shot dead by security forces in separate encounters which took place in different parts of the State today.

In the first incident, a suspected cadre of the proscribed PREPAK was shot dead by a combined force of Thoubal District Police Commandos and personnel of 21 Assam Rifles during an encounter which took place this afternoon near the Electricity office at Umathel under Waikhong Police Station of Thoubal district.

According to a statement issued by the SP of Thoubal district Clay Khongsai in connection with the incident, the combined force was launching a search operation since 4 pm today following receipt of inputs that some cadres of the proscribed PREPAK were extorting money from the public in Kakching Khunou, Umathel and surrounding areas.

At around 4.20 pm, 3-4 unidentified youths were seen moving about suspiciously near the Electricity Office of Umathel.

When the combined force tried to stop them for identification, the unidentified youths opened fire at the security personnel.

The combined force also retaliated the firing and killed a youth though the rest managed to escape.

One 9 mm pistol and a magazine loaded with three live rounds of ammunition have been recovered from near the body of the slain UG suspect, the SP added.

In the same statement, the SP also informed that earlier during the day, the District Police Commandos apprehended one cadre of the proscribed PREPAK from Lilong Nungei at about 2.45 pm.

Identifying the arrested PREPAK cadre as Huidrom Jiban (30) s/o Samu of Lilong Nungei, the SP conveyed that Jiban was arrested while the Commandos were on frisking duty following a special tip off on the movement of PREPAK cadres in the area.

During the course of interrogation, Jiban disclosed that he was working under one Ibomcha alias MLA of Nungei who is in finance section of the proscribed outfit, the SP informed.

In the second encounter which reportedly took place not long after the first encounter, another suspected UG was shot dead by a combined force of Thoubal District Police Commandos and personnel of 34 Assam Rifles at a spot in between Nepra Company and Hayel Labuk.

According to police report, the encounter took place between the combined force and suspected UGs of the proscribed KYKL.

During the encounter, one UG was killed while another managed to escape.

One 9 mm pistol and a magazine loaded with two live rounds of ammunition have been recovered from the possession of the slain UG.

On the other hand, a combined force of Commandos of the Imphal West and Thoubal district has killed two more UG suspects during an encounter which took place at an open field along the road leading to Khurkhul from Sekmai under Sekmai Police Station of Imphal West District at around 8.40 pm today.

In connection with the incident, police reports said that acting on a specific information about the presence of UGs in the area, the combined force rushed in and the shoot out took place leading to the death of two UG suspects from whom one 9 mm pistol along a magazine loaded with three live rounds of ammunition and one point 32 pistol along with a magazine loaded with two live rounds of ammunition have been recovered.

The bodies of the two UG suspects have picked up by the police and deposited at the mortuary of RIMS for identification and post-mortem.