Imphal, June 25 2009: Two suspected PREPAK cadres and two individuasl who fought over a lead storage battery have been killed in two separate incidents of gun violence in the last 48 hours.

In the first incident, two suspected PREPAK cadres were shot dead in a reported encounter with Thoubal police commandos at Mondum hills last morning.

According to a press release issued by Thoubal SSP Clay Khongsai, Thoubal police commandos, acting on a specific information about movement of PREPAK cadres in the surrounding area of Tokpaching and Thongam Khunou, launched an operation in the area at about 3.30 am.

At about 5.30 am, UG cadres started firing towards the commandos from Mondum hillock using sophisticated weapons including lathode guns resulting in a shoot-out between the two sides which last for about 15 minutes.

Later on searching the area after the gun-fight ceased, two UG cadres were found dead.

One M-72 grenade launcher (lathode gun), two M-40 bomb-shells (lathode) , one 9 mm pistol, one magazine with two live rounds, one .36 high explosive grenade and some fired cases of AK and 7.62 ammunition were recovered from the two slain individuals, Clay Khongsai conveyed.

According to information received by press, the two slain individuals were Ningthoujam Sanjoy alias Apabi (32) s/o Chaoba of Laphupat Tera Mayai Leikai and Moirangthem Rakesh (27) s/o Shamyung of Kakching Chumnang Leikai.

On the other hand, one individual who went to take back a stolen battery was killed when his party was fired upon from a house at Lilong Tairen Makhong at about 9 am of June 24 .

The deceased identified as Md Mujibur Rehman alias Mujib (30) s/o Basir Khan of Lilong Chaobok was going to the house of Md Khambi (25) s/o late Isub Ali of Lilong Tairen Makhong to take back a stolen battery along with some other people when he fired upon inside the house.

Mujibur suffered bullet wounds on the chest, right side of the neck and wrist.

He succumbed to the injuries at RIMS at about 10 am yesterday.

According to Md Azman Khan (24), his cousin Mujibur had been suspecting that Khambi stole batteries from his younger brother Amir Khan's mini-bus on three occasions.

A few days back, a battery was seen in the house of Khambi.

When Mujibur and his party went to Khambi's house saying that the battery was theirs and that it should be given back, Khambi fired from the side of the kitchen with a gun which appeared to be a double-barrel rifle, Azman recounted.

Before this incident, four people including Mujibur's younger brother Amir Khan went to Khambi's house demanding the battery.

But they were sent back after being thrashed by Khambi and his group.

Meanwhile, enraged over the killing of Mujibur, the local people built up a mob and thrashed Khambi severely at Lilong Kalei-khong paddy fields yesterday afternoon.

Khambi succumbed to the injuries at about 7 am at RIMS today.

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