Imphal, February 28 2009: A gunman suspected to be militant shot dead a non-local barber inside his saloon Saturday at around 9.30 am Sagolband Thang- apat within the Imphal city area.

Police suspected the gunman a cadre of the KCP outfit.

The barber named Suresh Takur (28) son of Samarat Takur from Bihar currently residing at a rented house at Uripok, Imphal was shot dead at the head by the gunman who intruded into his saloon pretending himself to be his customer, police as well as eyewitness account said.

The gunman entered into the saloon on the pretext of cutting hair and took out a small gun to shoot at the head at point blank while Suresh is trying to take out hairdressing equipments from the tool box.

He died at the spot, the other barber colleague of slain said recounting the incident.

Police retrieved the dead body from the spot and deposited at RIMS morgue, Imphal for official procedure after registering a case.

They suspected the miscreant to be a cadre of banned militant out KCP who recently warned striking non-locals.