Imphal, April 15 2009: With three more killed in the wee hours of yesterday, the number of UGs killed has gone up to 11 in the ongoing Operation Summer Storm to flush out the UGs from the Loktak area.

While nine bodies were recovered and handed over to police, the process is underway to recover two more bodies caught in phumdi, a PIB (Defence Wing) communique informed today.

In the meanwhile, out of 11 killed in the six dayold operation nine bodies have so far reached the mortuary of RIMS hospital here.

Two out of the nine bodies have been identified by family members and taken away home for the last rites.

The two bodies identified so far are (SS) Sgt Maj Yumnam Suraj @ Korak @ Bucha (22), son of Y Dhanbir of Sagolband Bijoy Govinda and Meisnam Arun @ Ngamba (16), son of M Kumar of Chairen Mangjil.

Wife and one and a half month-old son of Yumnam Suraj were nabbed by the Army and handed over to Kumbi police.

Suraj and two other cadres of PREPAK died at Khordak Mayai Leikai when Army personnel shot them as they were trying to see off Suraj's wife and baby son to safety.

Meisnam Arun @ Ngamba was the first victim in the operation.

Family members said that he had left home just about seven months back.

It may be recalled that based on some credible information of UG camp in Pat area, a well planned joint operation involving Army and Manipur Police, Operation Summer Storm was launched on April 10 by 57 Mountain Division, Police Commandos and Bishnupur Police in Loktak lake, Chingmei Pat, Nongmaikhong, Arong and Khordak.

Till last report, the joint team has destroyed five major camps of PREPAK in Loktak lake.

Out of the five, four camps were destroyed on April 12 and 13 while the fourth one was destroyed on April 14, the communique revealed.

According to the communique, there had been four major encounters, the first being on the morning of April 12 in which the UGs tried to ambush the SFs but in the process were ambushed themselves in which three of them were killed.

On the morning of April 13, three more UGs were eliminated in areas around Nongmaikhong while they were trying to break the cordon and escape towards Manipur River.

There was yet another encounter the same day in general area Khordak where two UGs were killed while trying to escape.

The fourth encounter took place in the wee hours of April 14 in which three more UGs were killed taking the tally to 11 UGs killed so far.

The communique pointed out that as the operations required a swift action and achieving surprise, the troops were generally equipped lightly and therefore could ill-afford to waste ammunition.

Coupled with that was the issue of ensuring no collateral damage whatsoever.

That in fact was the hallmark of Operation Summer Storm and speculative firing was never resorted to, it added.

The PIB (DW) communique further explained that the troops were also sensitised about the possibility of women and children being in the camp as also not to cause any harm to Sangai deers in Keibul Lamjao sanctuary and adjoining areas of Loktak.

Hence specific hideouts were surgically struck by the joint team of Army and Police to ensure that no collateral damage was caused to the environment.

It is for this reason alone that the wife and child of a UG caught in the hideout could be safely extricated on April 13 .

It admitted that the forest officials were denied entry into the Pat area for their own safety.

However, after the operation, the forest department officials will be able to operate without fear and constant threat from the UGs preventing their entry into the park.

Even the fishermen residing on the fringes will now feel free to venture into the open water stretches which they could not do earlier because of constant threat from the UGs, the communique claimed.

It further stated that the success of Operation Summer Storm yet again illustrates a total synergy between the State Police and 57 Mtn Div Apart from eliminating 11 UGs, the joint team has recovered six AK 47/56 Rifles, one lathode launcher, one 9 mm German Mouser, one 9 mm pistol, hand grenades, explosives, IEDs, and huge amount of ammunition and warlike stores.

The operation still continues, it informed.

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