Imphal, July 09: Commandos of Imphal West District Police killed two underground activists after a fierce gun battle at Langol Meitei locality at about 4.30 pm today and recovered one AK-56, Carbine, magazines and assorted live rounds of ammunition from the slain cadres.

Officer-in-Charge of Imphal West District Police Inspector Lokhon Singh who led the operation team told reporters that the police commandos have been laying in wait for quite some days on getting information that underground activists have been coming to extort money from the people of the area very frequently.

At about 4.30 pm today, a team of Police Commandos who were being deployed in the area in civil dresses saw the two gun-wielding underground acti- vists walking on the road.

When the commando team stopped the Maruti car in which they (commandos) were travelling and tried to stop them, the two underground activists ran away while firing towards the pursuing commandos at the same time.

Other commandos covering the area in plain uniforms also joined in the gun battle which lasted for about 15 minutes.

When the firing ceased, one of the activist was found lying dead at the front portion Ingkhol of one Khumukcham Lalmani Singh (60) of Langol Meitei Lai Manak and the other at the side of the house.

As narrated by the family members of Lalmani, since it was raining the whole day, none of the family members have gone out today and were enjoying the day together peacefully.

On hearing the gunshots shattering the peace of the area, they were taken by surprise and hid under the beds.

After the firing, the police personnel called them out and saw the two slain cadres lying in a pool of blood.

After the operation, Imphal West District SP S Ibocha who arrived at the scene, congratulated Inspector Loken and his team of Commandos by shaking hands and saying well done.

Replying to a volley of questions from the reporter present after the gunfight, SP Ibocha said that the identity of the slain cadres and the organizations to which they belonged to are yet to be established.

However, he added that the cadres are likely to be that of PLA and the SMC Carbine recovered from the slain cadres is also likely to be the one that had been snatched by underground activists from Mayang Imphal Police Station in 1998.A group of meira paibis who met the SP near Langol Games Village while he was returning urged for setting up a police outpost at the area to curb the activities of any anti-social elements.

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