Imphal, April 02 2009: One suspected UG cadre has been slain in a reported encounter with a combined team of Thoubal police commandos and troops of 34 Assam Rifles at Thoubal Khunou in the wee hours today.

According to a press release issued by Thoubal SSP Clay Khongsai, the combined team acting on reliable information about movement of armed UG cadres in Thoubal Khunou area laid an ambush at the junction of Thoubal Khunou and YVU road junction.

At about 1.30 am today, the security personnel observed 3/4 persons coming towards the ambush point.

The unidentified persons were challenged for identification and verification but they opened fire towards the security personnel.

The security personnel who were already in position retaliated resulting in an encounter for about 7/8 minutes.

Later, on searching the area after the shoot-out ceased, one suspected UG was found killed while the others managed to escape under the cover of darkness.

One 9 mm pistol, one magazine with two live rounds of 9 mm ammunition and one .36 HE hand grenade with detonator were recovered from near the slain UG cadre.

On further search, one demand letter of KCP for 15 lakhs signed by one Wanglen was also recovered from the right pocket of the slain UG cadre's trouser, added the release.

The deceased might be one Md Noor Khan (24) s/o Md Ningthem of Lilong Mairen Khul, said a source.

On the other hand, barely two hours after AICC General Secretary Rahul Gandhi left Manipur, a powerful explosive device was found near the gate of Indira Gandhi Children Park here today.

The IED having self-timer placed in a pressure cooker of 6.5 litre capacity was discovered by a personnel of Imphal West District Commandos at about 4 pm.

The pressure cooker containing the explosive was found put inside a carton inscribed with the label "Nice Pressure Cooker".

The carton was found in front of the gate of Indira Park, just behind the foot-path among a litter of garbage.

The commando even lifted the carton, unaware that it contained a powerful explosive.

Notably, the park being surrounded by the Manipur Legislative Assembly in the West, official residence of the Speaker in the North and the GM Hall in the South, is being watched by security forces round the clock.

Usually, large number of children came to the park in the afternoon, particularly on Sundays and holidays.

The IED was pulled towards the Kangla moat and hanged to a bamboo pole behind a bullet-proof gypsy.

Then it was taken to Mantripukhri firing range where explosive experts set it off safely.

Although, it is still uncertain about the identity of the UG group which planted the bomb, it has same intensity and power to the ones that exploded at Babupara on April 25 and Ragailong on October 21 which killed 18 people last year, said a senior police officer of the Imphal West District Police.

The proscribed KCP (MC) claimed its hands in the two blasts of last year.