Imphal, November 06 2008: Three suspected militants were shot dead at different places in the last 24 hours by police commandos.

Imphal East Police Commandos killed two suspected underground activists during an alleged encounter which took place in an open area of Thambalkhong Sabal Leikai under Porompat Police Station at around 5.15 pm today.

After the encounter, infuriated people of locality came out to protest against reducing the area to a 'killing field'.

According to police report, a Commando team was patrolling at Thambalkhong Sabal Leikai when they noticed four persons moving about in a suspicious manner some distance away from the actual site of the encounter.

When the Commandos shouted at them to stop from a little distance away from them, they panicked and opened fire at the approaching Commandos .

In the retaliatory firing, the Commandos shot down two of them while two other managed to escape under cover of darkness.

One 9 mm pistol, one magazine loaded with three live rounds of ammunition and 10 demand notes of KRA (U) signed by the outfit's finance secretary Hills Kh have been recovered from the possession of one of the slain UG suspects.

The demand notes, however, did not address any name.

From the other slain UG suspect, seven letter heads of the armed outfit PULF have been recovered.

Three of the letter heads have the seal impression of the outfit's chief project officer and two others that of the outfit's finance secretary.

But nothing was written on them except for the signatures corresponding to the seal impression.

Two other letter heads were press releases impressed with the seal of the publicity secretary of the outfit.

The bodies of the slain UG suspects whose identities are yet to be established have been picked up by the police and deposited at the mortuary of RIMS.

Soon after the incident, infuriated local people came out in large number protesting against the police and shouted slogan against converting the locality into a killing field.

As the tension ran high, infuriated local people even tried to target mediapersons who had gone to cover the incident of encounter.

However no untoward incident occurred.

It is said that counting today's incident, it is the fourth instance that alleged encounter had taken place in the area.

Earlier in the day, Thoubal Police Commandos shot dead a suspected underground activist during an encounter which took place at Kiyam Siphai village at around 2.30 am today.

In connection with the encounter SP of Thoubal District said that at about 2 am today acting on specific information regarding movement of UG elements in the general area of Tangjeng and Kiyam Siphai, commandos of the district police rushed to the area and conducted frisking and checking.

At around 2.30 am, two\three youths were seen moving suspiciously on foot along Heibong Leirak towards Tangjeng.

The Commandos shouted at them to stop for verification.

But instead of stopping, they started fleeing towards Kiyam Siphai village while firing at the pursuing commandos.

The Commandos also retaliated the firing and in the ensuing encounter which last for 4/5 minutes, one of the UG suspects was shot down at the spot and the others managed to escape.

On search of the area after the encounter, one 9 mm pistol loaded with two live rounds of ammunition were covered from the spot.

In another incident, the SP further informed, Commandos of Thoubal District Police conducted selective search operations at Lilong Mairelkhun area and arrested one KCP cadre identified as Md Nijamuddin (31) s/o Md Feijuddin of Lilong Mairelkhun from his house at about 3 am today. About 250 gms of explosive substances have also been recovered from his possession, the SP added.