Imphal, December 20: At least one personnel of the 19 Assam Rifles was killed while two others were injured when they were ambushed by suspected KLA cadres at Bongyang Kuki village under Yairipok police today at about 6.30 am.

On being contacted PRO of PIB Defence Wing, Lt Col SD Goswami confirmed that one personnel of the 19 Assam Rifles was killed while another two were injured in the ambush laid by suspected KLA cadres at Bongyang Kuki village today morning.

The AR troops also returned fire and in the ensuing gun fight at least 4/5 cadres of the militant outfit were also injured said the PRO, quoting AR reports.

One woman cadre of the outfit was arrested in the follow up search operations, said the PRO and added that one lap top, one portable generator, one printer and one fax machine were recovered from her.

Interrogation is underway, said the PRO.

The conditions of the two injured are stable now, said the PRO and added that search operations have been launched at Saichang Kuki village near Bongyang village.

The deceased has been identified as Rifleman PK Rathod and the body has been deposited at RIMS morgue while the two injured personnel, who have been admitted to Leimakhong Army hospital, are identified as Naik/Subedar Shaji Mathew and Rifleman Kharak Singh.

Sources informed that the gun fight between the Assam Rifles troops and the suspected KLA cadres ensued from 6.30 am till 8.30 am.

The woman cadre arrested was found attired in battle fatigues, said sources.

The woman cadre is identified as Kim Kho Hoi (18) of Saichang Kuki village and she has been handed over to Yairipok PS.

Student murdered : In an apparent case of a brutal murder, the body of a student was recovered with both the eyes gorged out and the face defaced, from near Tamenglong electricity Office complex at around 2 pm yesterday.

Identity of the victim student has been established as Mathewsala Kamei (18) s/o Dirisinang Kamei of Sonpram village in Tamenglong district.

According to family sources, the class XII student of GM English Secondary School had left home on December 15 morning to witness the Manipur Winter Festival and his whereabouts remained unknown till the recovery of the body yesterday from a dried up dam located close to the electricity office.

In addition to both the eyes being gorged out, the cheek and templetop areas were also found mutilated probably by a pointed weapon used by the assailant/s.Tamenglong police, who brought the body at RIMS morgue for post mortem, has also registered a case on the matter.

The body has been handed over to family members on completion of medical procedure.

Two killed in blast : At least two civilians have been reportedly killed when explosive devices suspected to have been planted by underground organisation activists went off at Hmar Veng located about a kilometre south east of Thanlon police station yesterday morning.

Due to location of the explosion spot nearly 150 kilometres away from the district headquarters and absence of communication gadgets at the police station concerned, Churachandpur and Imphal police officials are said to have received the information this morning only.

Contrary to official version giving the death of only one villager and injury to three others, independent sources said that one was killed and the spot while another succumbed to injuries on the way to a hospital.

The villager who died at the spot is said to be one Rhangkhulian (42) s/o Rominthang of Rengkai but was staying at Thanlon.

The last rites of Rhangkhulian were conducted at Rengkai today after post mortem at Churachandpur district hospital.

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