Woman, UG killed in bazar shoot out
Five including two women and one AR personnel in civil injured
Source: Hueiyen News Service

Imphal, July 23 2009: A suspected insurgent and an innocent young mother were killed and five persons including two women and one Assam Rifles personnel in civil dress were injured in a sudden shoot out that happened in the heart of Imphal city around 10.30 am today.

All the injured persons have been admitted at RIMS hospital at Lamphel in Imphal West district.

An injured woman and another man are stated to be in serious condition.

The incident happened right in the middle of Khwairamband bazar.

Innocent young Rabina's lifeless body lies in a pool of (unseen) blood

Senior Superintendent of Police, Imphal West district, L Kailun in a press release narrated how the incident happened.

He stated that a team of Imphal West district police commandos was conducting frisking near the statue of Maharaja Bhagyachandra catching elephant at about 10.30 am today when a suspicious looking youth was seen coming from Uripok side by the commandos.

When the commandos asked him to stop for frisking, the youth suddenly pulled out a small gun and opened fire towards the commandos and ran away along the BT road.

The police party ducked and retaliated.

The youth also kept on firing while running.

He was finally cornered inside Maimu Pharmacy near Gambhir Singh Shopping Arcade.

The Sr SP's press release further narrated that police asked the youth to surrender.

However instead of surrendering, he kept on firing from inside the pharmacy towards the police.

The police party retaliated and shot dead the unknown youth at the spot.

One 9 mm pistol, Mauser, loaded with three live rounds and one round in the chamber was recovered from the slain youth.

One driving licence bearing the name of Chungkham Sanjit Meitei, s/o Ch Khelson Meitei, of Khurai Kongpal Sajor Leikai, Imphal was found on his person.

The press release further stated that Chungkham Sanjit @ Romesh @ Ngongo @ Chingkhei (27) was arrested earlier on two occasions� first by Imphal East district police commandos on November 17 of 2000 under FIR No.245(11) 2000 u/s 10/13 UA (P) A Act, 5 Expl.

Sub.

Act and 212 IPC.

Act of Porompat PS and second by Imphal West commandos on July 2 of 2007 under FIR No.189 (7) 07 u/s 17/20 UA (P) A Act of Imphal PS.

He was also detained under NSA on July 19, 2007 .

When he was arrested first in 2000, he was holding the rank of corporal in PLA under Army No.2338, Sr SP Kailun informed in his press release.

The deceased young woman has been identified as Thokchom Ongbi Rabina Devi (23), wife of Th Chinglensana of Lamshang bazar.

The five injured persons are Wangkheirakpam Gitarani Devi (40), w/o (L) W Nongyai of Tendongyang, injured in chest and left leg (reported to be serious); Ningthoujam Kishorani Devi (43), w/o N Raghumani of Narankonjin, injured in left leg; Golmei Mangol (58), s/o Lemba of Maha Kabui Namching Keithelmanbi, injured in left arm; Pangambam Lukhoi (30), s/o P Pakchao of Heingang Makha Leikai, injured in the chest (also reported to be seious) and Kangabam Subhachandra (40), s/o K Shamungou of Kha Potsangbam, minor injury on right ear.

On the other hand, reports culled from different persons on the spot indicate that the team of police commandos stopped a youth, verified and frisked him, then made an attempt to shoot him.

The youth then pushed aside the gun and fled.

The police commandos opened fire and chased him.

The unfortunate young woman might have been killed and the other five persons could have been injured in the firing, the reports said.

One of the persons who happened to be at the spot at that time said, the youth couldn't have opened fire towards east in which direction he was fleeing along the BT road.

The man who was injured near the AIRCEL office located near the Imphal Talkies could have been hit by the bullet of the commandos who were chasing the youth.

The deceased young woman, identified as Rabina Devi, was lying dead in a pool of blood near the Sulabh toilet complex at Khwairamband bazar.

Her two and a half year-old son, Ibungo was found crying near his lifeless mother's body, when our reporters reached there.

One of the market women picked up the crying child.

Chinglensana, husband of the deceased, Rabina, is working at a mobile phone repairing shop at Major Khul.

She was five months pregnant.

Before the fateful incident, she had come to the shop where her husband was working and reportedly told him that she would go for check up at RIMS hospital.

While the young woman's dead body was lying near the Sulabh toilet complex, police commandos and IRB personnel were looking for the escaped youth in the shops in the Gambhir Singh Shopping Arcade and the gullies north of BT road.

The police commandos ordered the shop-keepers to pull down shutters.

They also conducted search operation inside the shopping arcade by closing the main gate.

The commandos ordered the Maimu Pharmacy located on the ground floor in the Bir Tikendrajit shopping complex to pull open the shutters around 10.55 am and went inside.

After a short while, sounds of gun-shots numbering about 10 were heard.

The youth said to be an insurgent was killed in that alleged encounter.

However, one salesman of Maimu Pharmacy, Khulem Ramananda of Kongpal Kongkham Leikai and Takhellambam Ranbir from Kongba opposite Standard College said that the slain youth had come inside their pharmacy.

They pulled down the shutters of the pharmacy as the police told them to close the shop.

Then they again asked them to open the pharmacy and after opening the shop, some commandos went inside and some took them outside the shop.

Then in a short while, they heard the sound of gun shots, they said.

On the other hand, family members of the slain youth told newspersons at the RIMS morgue that Sanjit had gone to purchase medicines for an elderly family member who is being treated at JN hospital.