Imphal, June 20 2009: Security forces have gunned down four suspected activists of underground organisations in two different shoot-outs today while a Bolero Jeep reportedly registered in the name of a Minister's wife has been recovered after one of the encounters.

According to police sources, the first shoot-out took place at around 3 pm near Uchiwa Salam along Mayai Lambi in Imphal west district during which a combined team of Imphal west police commandos and troops of 12 Maratha Light Infantry shot dead two of the UG suspects.

The other incident occurred at Top Makha Leikai in Imphal East district at around 7.30 pm.

In the gun-fight with unidentified persons, Imphal East police commandos and troops of 28 Assam Rifles eliminated two persons, whom the police speculate to be activists of the banned PULF outfit.

The Bolero Jeep bearing registration number MN03P/0392 was recovered after the Uchiwa Salam shoot-out which reportedly ensued after the combined security team engaged occupants of the vehicle numbering about five.

While two persons at the rear seat were slain on the spot in the shoot-out the other accomplices managed to escape, maintained the police sources speculating the deceased duo to be Waikhom Kenedy (24) s/o Dhiren of thoubal Wangmataba and Thokchom samarjit (24) s/o Yaima of Thoubal Keithel.

While police report claim to have recovered an AK-56 rifle, two magazines with 42 live rounds, one 9 mm pistol with a magazine containing three rounds, family members of the victims contended both to be innocent civilians.

Speaking to newspersons, the family members said the Bolero Jeep belongs to Kenedy who left home for admission of her daughter at HRD school, Ghari. contradicting the family version, another police source disclosed that the vehicle is registered in the name of a Minister's wife but declined to divulge further details of identity of the vehicle owner.

In the gun-fight that broke out along the Porompat-Nongmaiching route of Imphal East district, two 9 mm pistols and one Chinese hand-grenade were reportedly recovered from possession of the two slain persons, while the duo's other accomplices fled away under cover of darkness.

A driving license and voter's electoral card one of the deceased possessed suggest the holder's identity to be one Md Sahir Khan (24) s/o Md Jallauddin of Lilong haoreibi Turel Ahanbi.

The second victim had a tattoo on the right forearm displaying romantic relationship of one Awaj Khan ( tattoo bearer) and Sunam.

The victim had another flower and dagger tattoo on the same arm.

All the four deceased have been brought to RIMS morgue.

Shortly after the Top makha Leikai incident, womenfolk of Kshetri Bengoon and Top areas trooped out of their respective localities/homes in protest against alleged fake encounters.

The agitated womenfolk tried to prevent a police team from retrieving the bodies but cops managed to drive off with the corpses resulting in the womenfolk turning their ire against a media team.

After convincing them, the mediapersons were let off with the instruction from a woman to report the security team stage-managed the encounter and that similar dubious incident had taken place at the same location.

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