Imphal, June 10: The proscribed PREPAK has claimed that its cadres inflicted injuries on three personnel of the 7 Assam Rifles when they waylaid a patrolling team of the security personnel at Thanga Lawai Sabal Leikai at Bishnupur district last night at about 10.45 .

In a statement, Aheiba Angom, secretary-in-charge of the department of publicity and propaganda of the outfit said that after its Red Army withdrew from the site of the attack, the AR personnel fired about 200 rounds in a show of bravado.

The statement further said that the shoot out at Bishnupur bazar earlier yesterday at about 2.45 pm with police commandos was between its Red Army cadres and added that it was not the intention of the cadres to attack the commandos.

Asserting that PREPAK does not believe in fratricidal bloodshed, the Red Army had to open fire as they had to reach an important destination.

The cadres were on their way taking all possible steps to avoid meeting the police commandos, but unfortunately they came upon the police commandos in the Gypsy, said Aheiba.

As the commandos signalled them to stop, the cadres had no option but to open blank fire in their bid to escape from the situation.

However the police commandos opened fire towards them, it claimed and added that if the PREPAK cadres had also taken a similar step, it could have led to casualties on the side of the police commandos as well as the Red Army.

Many civilians could also have been killed.

To avoid this, the Red Army cadres made good their escape, Aheiba claimed.

The windscreen and other parts of the Maruti van in which the Red Army cadres were travelling were damaged due to the firing by the police commandos, said the statement.

Even as the Red Army cadres were trying to escape through Thoubal side, the police commandos followed them firing all the while.

Left with no option, the Red Army cadres were constrained to fire lethode bombs, it said.

The outfit further claimed that the injuries caused to the civilians including the student came from the bullets of the police commandos and not from the Red Army.

It however expressed deep grief over the injuries caused to the civilians and assured that the outfit would extend all possible help to them.

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