Imphal, November 18 2010: A local youth was shot dead by gunmen even as police gunned down a suspected underground activist in two separate shootouts reported in the state in the last 24-hour.A 25-year old youth identified as Manggoulen son of Tungkhojang, a resident of Langol National Games' Village was shot dead by two unidentified gunmen last night around 8.30 pm at Langol Game Village Zone-III at a Lagao gambling place.

On the other hand a suspected UG was gunned down by a team of Imphal west police commandos in an alleged encounter this evening around 3.40 pm at Koirou Loukon, Thongju part-II under Singjamei police station.

Enraged by the killing of Manggoulen, residents of National Game Village Thursday staged a sit-in protest after a meeting held in the morning today and formed a JAC and announced a 24-hour strike.

They have demanded the arrest of the culprits involved in the killing.

Manggoulen, an unemployed youth having completed Bachelor in Pharmacy, was among those youths involved in a quarrel with local youths and two other unidentified youths who were gambling.

Eyewitnesses said soon after the quarrel, one of the two persons pulled out a small arm and shot at Manggoulen at point blank.

On hearing the gun fire people present at the spot fled.

After the assailants left the place, Manggoulen was rushed to the hospital where doctors declared him brought dead.

Local youths noted down the registration number of the associated vehicle as AS-4641.Police registered a case but no arrests have been made so far.

The residents of the locality held a meeting this morning which formed a joint action committee and submitted a memorandum to Chief Minister Okram Ibobi Singh.

Expressing concern over the increasing skirmishes between violent delingquents of different communities residing in the National Games Village area, they requested the Chief Minister to take up measures to ease the communal tension prevailing in the area.

Terming the killing as a "dastardly, cowardly and unjustified killing", they further requested for necessary action to nab the culprits and to be booked as per law.

A strike preventing entry of vehicles and outsiders was entorced in the area effective from forenoon demanding immediate action to apprehend the killers within 24-hours.A meeting held this morning resolved to call a general strike in the hill areas of Manipur until and unless the culprits are arrested and brought to justice.

Meanwhile, police commandos gunned down a suspected militant at Koirou field under Singjamei police station of Imphal west district this evening at about 4.30 pm.

A small armed loaded with live rounds was reportedly recovered from the slain suspect.

The alleged encounter in which Imphal west police commandos killed a suspected UG took place this evening around 3.40 pm.

Police recovered a 9 mm pistol with a magazine loaded with live rounds and a Chinese hand grenade.

Police reports said that the encounter took place during a search operation at Thongju Part-II by police commandos.

When the operation was in progress, the youth coming out from the house of one Okram Iboyaima tried to escape towards a paddy field.

When police commandos ordered him to stop, he opened fire towards them.

They returned the firing and killed him near a public pond, the police said.

The dead body of the youth was found lying into a pool of blood near the pond with two bullet injury marks, one in the chest and other in the left side of the belly.

The small gun was found held by his right hand.

According to the local residents, they heard gun shots being fired and police commandos shouting 'stop, stop' .

Police retrieved the dead body from the spot and transfer root it to the RIMS morgue for official identification.

However, a highly reliable source said the slain person could be RPF's Division-IV's Secretary Ngangbam Oman@ Onit@ Anthony, s/o Ngangbam Biramangol of Singjamei Chingamathak, Imphal West.

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