Casualties of UG-SF clash since Oct 1
Seven UG cadres slain in the last 48 hrs
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, October 04: Three suspected PREPAK cadres have been slain in encounters with a combined team of security forces at two places under Lamshang police station today.

The encounter ensued when a combined security force comprising of Imphal West, Imphal East commandos, troops of 22 Maratha Light Infantry and 32 Assam Rifles launched a search operation in Lamshang area today.

The search operation was launched in retaliatory crackdown against UG elements after the ambush undertaken by PREPAK cadres at Khonglong in Senapati district and Patsoi in Imphal West district where 5 CRPF personnel were killed.

Gory scenes of the violence after a number of UGs were gunned down by security force

According to information culled from the spot, as the search operation continued, gun shots were heard from Kangdabi agricultural field, located to the North of Sairemkhul Maning Leikai at about 1 pm.

Later a suspected PREPAK cadre was found shot dead in the agricultural field with a Chinese made hand grenade near the corpse.

On further searching the area, the combined force recovered some clothes believed to be used by UG cadres.

Continuing with the search operation, another shoot out ensued at Sanjenbam Maning agricultural field (East of Phayeng) at about 3.45 pm.

There too, two UG cadres were found slain in a part of the agricultural field where paddy plants have already been mowed down.

From the site, police recovered one SLR and two magazines containing 14 rounds and 4 rounds respectively.

It is reported that the gun fight took place when some people were harvesting paddy in the agricultural field.

One Ngangom Sunil of Sanjenbam Maning Leikai who was among the group harvesting paddy said that they all of them hurried back home as they heard gun shots in the field while they were harvesting paddy.

Meanwhile, SP Imphal West Clay Khongsai, in a press release, informed that the search operation was launched based on specific information that PREPAK cadres involved in the ambush against CRPF personnel at Khonglong yesterday are taking shelter in the village of Sairemkhul and in the surrounding villages.

During the course of the operation, suspected PREPAK cadres were spotted in the nearby paddy field which led to an encounter for about one and half hour.

There one suspected PREPAK cadre was gunned down.

In the course of further cordon and search operation amidst the paddy field West of Sanjenbam at about 4.15 pm, another encounter ensued in which two other PREPAK cadres were slain.

A press release issued by the PRO of Hqs IG AR (S) informed that the encounter took place at about 12.30 pm in which three suspected PREPAK cadres were slain.

One SLR with magazine, one grenade, 8 pairs of combat dress and 8 pairs have been recovered from the site.

The PRO added that search operation is still on in Phayeng area at the time of filing this report.

In a separate operation, troops of 22 Maratha Light Infantry acting on information about movement of PREPAK cadre in Naral Konjil area laid an ambush and a mobile vehicle check post in collaboration with police commandos last night.

At about 9.40 pm, two persons were seen moving in suspicious manner.

On being challenged, they fired at the 22 MLI troops and attempted to escape.

However, they were killed in retaliatory fire.

One AK 56 rifle with two magazines, 21 live rounds and one 9 mm pistol with four live rounds were recovered from the slain cadres.

In another operation, two suspected KCP cadres were slain in retaliatory fire by a combined force of police commandos and troops of 32 AR at Bamdiyar Lamkhai at about 9.45 last night.

The UG cadres opened fire towards the position of security forces when they were asked to stop and tried to flee away.

They were killed in retaliatory fire.

One AK 56 rifle with magazine and six live rounds and .38 revolver with four fired cases and two live rounds were recovered from the site, informed the PRO.

According to a press release issued by SP Imphal West Clay Khongsai, the encounter at Naral Konjil took place at about 10 pm yesterday.

Even as two UG cadres were killed in the encounter, some other UG cadres who came together with the slain cadres managed to escape.

Giving an account of the shoot-out at Bamdiyar, the SP conveyed that while a combined force of Imphal West police commandos and troops of 22 MLI were conducting frisking and checking exercise at Bamdiyar Lamkhai at about 9.30 pm yesterday, two unidentified persons were seen hastily moving towards the Yoga Ashram side.

On being asked to stop, they fired towards the security personnel who retaliated killing both of them.