Source: The Sangai Express
Imphal, May 14 2010:
Troops of 21 Assam Rifles of 9 Sector have gunned down five suspected under-ground activists and recovered five sophisticated weapons from the deceased.
A PRO IGAR (S) release said the AR troops discovering movement of unidentified armed persons in the general area of the Reserve Forest near north east of Khambathel and launched an operation.
At around 1.20 am on May 14, the AR troops observed suspicious movement of heavily armed persons who opened heavy volumes of fire at the Assam Rifles troops which was immediately returned by the troops, the PRO maintained while adding that in the firefight that ensued, five persons were eliminated.
The troops recovered three M-15/16 series rifles and two AK series rifles from the slain persons.
The operation is still in progress as per last report, the PRO release added.
According to police the five persons are suspected to be cadres of the Pakan Reunification Army (PRA), which is not a signatory of the Suspension of Operation (SoO) with the Governments of India and Manipur.
Police said the encounter took place between troops of 21 Assam Rifles and suspected PRA cadres last night in the jungles of Khambathel village, located around 30 kms to the south-west of Chandel police station.
The five suspected PRA cadres were killed in the said encounter.
A huge cache of arms and ammunition including three M-16 Rifles with 362 live rounds of ammunition, 17 empty cartridges, two AK Rifles with 173 live rounds of ammunition and six empty cartridges have been recovered from the site of the encounter.
On top of this, five magazine pouches, five sets of uniform (combat dresses), five towels, five pairs of chappals, three jean pants, one driving license and a seal of the PRA wing commander have been seized, the source said, adding that the bodies as well as the recovered items have been handed over to the police by the Assam Rifles.
Meanwhile, the bodies have been deposited at the mortuary of RIMS.
All the slain suspected PRA cadres were clad in combat dresses and their identities are yet to be established.