Imphal, March 26: In a telling blow on the security force, a suspected cadre of the proscribed PLA slipped away through the Loktak lake under cover of darkness after killing two Assam Rifles personnel today at about 2.40 am at Thanga Heisnam Leikai under Moirang PS.

Sources said that the two AR personnel were killed when they entered a house to search for militants.

According to reports received, the Assam Rifles troops descended on the house, where the PLA cadre was holed up for the night, probably on a tip off.

The Assam Rifles personnel belonged to the 8th Bn under the 10 Sector and are stationed at Kamjong in Ukhrul district.

The security personnel came in three vehicles including one Gypsy, one bullet proof vehicle and a one ton van.

The house which the AR men entered belongs to one Heisnam Sangoichao (57).As Sangoichao and his wife Chaoba spent the night at the lake, their daughter Mema (27) and son Sarat (25) and daughter-in-law Nevidita (23) were at the house at the time of the incident.

Local people informed that at about 2.40 am, they heard the dog of Sangoijao barking loudly.

They also heard a man calling out to Sarat from the gate of the house in Manipuri.

Sarat's wife, Nivedita said that the door was opened by his sister Mema and simultaneously they heard the loud report of gun fire.

On hearing the gun shot, Nivedita and her husband, Sarat came out from the back door.

They also saw Mema standing outside the house.

As soon as the couple stepped out, the security personnel pounced on them and severely beat them up.

Mema was also soundly thrashed by the security personnel, said the local people.

The Assam Rifles personnel also forced thirteen members of the next door neighbour, Heisnam Ibomcha to stay indoors.

The security personnel then gathered together as one and stayed put inside one of the rooms of Ibomcha's house.

At about 4 am, the security personnel made Ibomcha and his son carry the bodies of the two slain AR men outside.

One of the AR men was found dead near the front door of Sangoijao's house while the other body was found near the verandah.

Later the AR men summoned the pradhan of the village, Salam Sanatomba and members of the panchayat, H Ranjita, H Ashangbi and S Premabati and made them inspect the house of Sangoijao to see is any militants are holed up inside.

When the Assam Rifles men were told that not a single militant was inside the house, they fired randomly at the house.

After the firing, the security personnel thoroughly ransacked the house and damaged the TV and other items.

A number of bullet marks were also found on the house of the next door neighbour, H Ibomcha.

The glass pane of an almirah inside the house was also found smashed.

Nivedita is presently three months pregnant.

She was kicked and butted on the buttocks and the woman has been shifted to a neighbour's house for necessary care.

Mema has been taken into custody by the Assam Rifles.

However no other persons were picked up.

According to police, the man responsible for gunning down the two AR men is a Sgt Maj of the PLA.

Police named him as one Md Babu alias Raju of Kwakta.

He was planning to stay over the night at the house at Thanga, said the police.

As soon as Mema opened the door, Babu opened fire and killed the first AR man to enter the house, said the police and added that the PLA man also managed to kill the second AR men.

The deceased AR men have been identified as Rifleman (number 84678) RB Dahal of Kanglatongbi and Rifleman (number 84397) Darshan Singh of Jammu and Kashmir.

Though RB Dahal was attired in a bullet proof vest, he was killed as he was shot just beneath the navel, which is not protected by the vest.

The PLA man took away an AK-47 Rifle from Dahal.

Darshan Singh received a bullet on the neck.

The two bodies have been deposited at RIMS morgue for necessary medical procedure.

H Mema who was taken captive by the Assam Rifles has been handed over to the Moirang police.

The AR personnel handed one hand grenade, one 9 MM revolver, three bullets, nine bullets of AK47, one empty case, 51 small sized battery cells for torchlights, one WLL receiver and documents, to the police.

Assam Rifles said the items were recovered from the house of Sangoijao.

However, PIB Defence Wing in a statement claimed that two PLA cadres including self style sergeant major Babu was killed and another three including self style corporal Sarat were seriously injured during the encounter.

It said two Assam Rifles jawans were killed while trying to save a girl who was used as a human shield by the cadres during the one hour long encounter.

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