Imphal, April 11 2009: Atleast four persons have been shot dead in separate incidents of insurgency related violence over the last 24 hours.

In the first incident, a combined force gunned down two activists of the proscribed KCP during an encounter at Chingnungkok under Lamlai Police Station of Imphal East district early morning today while in the second incident unidentified gunmen shot dead a member of the one time UG outfit Meitei State Commission and his daughter in their own house last night at Uyumpok Mamang Leikai under Lamlai Police Station of Imphal East district.

In connection with the first incident, police report said that the encounter broke out with around 4 to 5 suspected underground activists when the combined force of Imphal East Police Commandos, 23 Assam Rifles and 36 Assam Rifles rushed in to the area following specific information about the presence of underground cadres.

Information received from the site of the encounter said that the encounter broke out near a Kuki village earlier known as Paokhun but Inaoching now and it is located close to the headquarters of UFO.

Police report said that one Indian made carbine loaded with five live rounds of ammunition, four fired cartridges, one 9 mm pistol loaded with four live rounds of ammunition, four empty cartridges of 9 mm ammunition, one hand grenade and a camouflage bag have been recovered from the possession of the two slain UG suspects who have been identified as Ningombam Open alias Leingakpa (29) s/o Tomba of Ningombam Kitna Panung and Soibam Narjit alias Tarkot (28) s/o Babudhon of Langmeidong Mamang Leikai.

According to family members of Open, both of them were picked up by personnel of 23 Assam Rifles from a place in Senapati district last night.

Open left home about three years back and before that he had been lodged in the jail in alleged charge of being a member of the proscribed KCP.

As the Police Commandos used to come and harass him constantly after coming out from the jail, he left home again.

Open left behind his wife and a son who is 4-year old.

Narjit is also said to be a married man with children.

With regard to the second incident, police report 80-year old Laishram Ibocha Meitei who was a member of the one time UG outfit Meitei State Committee and his 26-year old daughter identified as Laishram Ibemchoubi Chanu were shot dead by unidentified gunmen at their own house at Uyumpok Mamang Leikai at around 11.30 pm yesterday.

Nine empty cartridges of AK series rifle have been recovered from the site of the crime, police report added.

According to family members, two unidentified youths holding AK rifles came to the house last night at around 11.20 pm and dragged out all the family members to the courtyard where father-daughter duo were shot at right in front of their eyes.

However, they succumbed to the injuries while arranging for a vehicle to take them to the hospital for treatment.

Before committing the crime, the armed intruders who covered their faces with cloths and caps and trousers appeared to be black in colour because of the dark asked the names of all the family members one by one.

While the armed intruders insisted that some of the family members were missing and should be called out, Ibemchoubi was just coming out from the neighbouring house which shares a common courtyard on hearing the commotion, when one of the armed intruders asked her to bring out phone.

When Ibemchoubi replied that there was no phone, the armed intruder started hitting Ibemchoubi with the butt of the gun, recalled 25 year old Ningthem, younger brother of Ibemchoubi.

''We also saw the armed intruders dragging down Baji from the verandah to the courtyard'', Ningthem added.

''When Baji pleaded innocent for both of them (father and the daughter duo), the armed intruders did not listen, and as the beating was intensified, Iche shouted for help.

At that the two armed intruders whispered something in between them and one of them suddenly opened fire at Baji while the other shot at Iche before leaving the place', Ningthem told mediapersons.

In addition to bullet wounds on both his legs just below the knees, Ibocha also suffered around five fatal bullet marks on his chest while Ibemchoubi was hit by bullets on her posterior and left thigh.

It is said that while being a member of the Meitei State Committee, Ibocha had been arrested and served jail term for around 20 years.

At present he was taking up plantation of Mulberry plants under the Sericulture Project in his own ancestral land.

He was also the member of a five-member Primary Sericulture Co-operative Society.

As for Ibemchoubi, she was helping her father in his plantation work.

Both the bodies were picked up by the police and after post-mortem at RIMS morgue handed over the same to the family members.

The identity of the killers and the reason behind the killing has not yet been ascertained.

Family members have also clarified that they have not received any threat or demand letter from any UG group.

Along with registering a case, the Lamlai Police have started investigating into the matter.

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