C-in-C, KCP(MTF) Sunil Meetei shot dead
Had desired to capture him alive : DGP
Source: Hueiyen News Service
Imphal, October 11 2011:
Commander-in-Chief KCP (MTF), Sunil Meetei, was shot dead by Imphal West police commandos in an alleged encounter which took place at a house in Thiyam Leishangkhong in Wangoi early this morning, .
Sources from the spot revealed that a team of Imphal west District Police Commandos arrived at the house of Longjam Shyam inThiyam Leishangkhong, Yumnam Huidrom at around 12:28am.The commandos called out Longjam Shyam and enquired about Thounaojam Gita, w/o KCP Sunil Meetei.
Shyam told the police personnel that Gita never came to his house.
Then the security personnel dragged out all the family members including women and children from the house and made them kneel down in the courtyard.
At around 1am after midnight, the house of L Shyam which was already surrounded by the security personnel, was thoroughly searched again and again.
The police commandos failed to find Sunil Meetei and his wife.
Later the commandos came upon a huge pile of freshly dug up mud in the side yard of the house.
With the apprehension that Sunil Meetei might be hiding underground, the police commandos began to search the fully carpeted house, but still could not find Sunil Meetei.
Then the police commandos began to drag out the beds and searched beneath it.
Sunil Meetei was found hiding inside a dug up pit.
Then there were gun shots of around 20 rounds heard.
Sunil Meetei was shot and killed at the spot.
Family members of L Shyam told reporters that Sunil Meetei came at the house on the midnight of October 9 riding a bicycle.
There were no arms with him when he came.
Replying to queries, family members of L Shyam said that Sunil Meetei threatened the family not to reveal his whereabouts to the police and dug up the pit which easily fits him.
The police seized a lap top and a printer from the house.
They also took away the bicycle in which Sunil Meetei came.
Meanwhile DGP, Y Joykumar briefing media persons at the conference hall of SP Imphal west, said that since Sunil Meetei escaped from Porompat Police lock up, police personnel of Imphal east, west, Thoubal and Bishnupur have been conducting vigorous operations to nab him.
It later came to be known that he was taking shelter in Loktak Lake area and moving from one place to another.
Intelligence report further revealed that he was most likely to be visited by his wife.
After receiving specific information that the wife of Sunil Meetei had left for the location of her husband in a hard top Gypsy from Irengbam area, her vehicle was closely followed by security personnel yesterday midnight.
She was dropped at Shamurou bazaar from where she was again picked up by another hard top Gypsy and later on dropped at a house in Thiyam Leishangkhong, he said.
The teams of Commandos under the supervision of Dr Jhalajit, Addl SP, Imphal west and under operational command of S Ibomcha, Dy SP (CDO), Imphal west and Inspector Kishorechand, OC/CDO, Imphal west rushed to the location and surrounded the house including nearby houses and conducted house to house search.
During the search one Longjam Shyam (56), s/o L Ibochou of Yumnam Huidrom who came out of his house was detained, he said.
He further said that after spot verification, L Shyam revealed the location of KCP Sunil Meetei and took the team to the particular room.
Inside room the police team found wooden plank covering an underground bunker, as a one constable opened the latch of a wooden plank of the underground bunk from a side.
The individual opened fired towards the police party with an automatic weapon.
The police retaliated and shot dead the armed person in the underground bunk.
He was later on identified as Chirom Sunil Meetei alias Premkumar alias Leninkumar (35), s/o Ch Shyam of Waheng Khuman.
One 9mm pistol with four live rounds was recovered from him.
On further verification Longjam Shyam (56) was identified as Secretary in Charge of Home of KCP (MTF) Sunil Meetei faction who was giving shelter to the fugitive.
The wife of Sunil Meetei escaped taking advantage of the darkness, DGP added.