SF, PLA exchange heavy gun fire at Chandel village
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, January 23: An intense gun battle ensued between PLA cadres and a combined force of Thoubal district police commandos and troops of 34 Assam Rifles at Maryland in Chandel district, forcing the villagers to run for cover with many of them taking shelter at the village Church.

The gun battle which started early morning today continued till afternoon.

As reports of the gun fire reverberated through, villagers could be seen running and cowering for safety.

Frightened children and women take shelter inside the Church following the gun battle

Though located in Chandel district, Maryland is under the jurisdiction of Thoubal police station.

Following specific information that a large number of PLA cadres have been operating in the area, a combined force of Thoubal police commandos and troops of 34 AR moved in to the area from two directions at about 3 am.

After the village was surrounded by about 5.30 am, a section of the combined team moving to the village from its South Eastern direction was fired upon by PLA cadres from atop Thangphenglok village with LMGs and heavy armoury at about 7.30 am.

Immediately, the combined force retaliated using machine guns and mortars.

As the two sides were engaged in the gun battle for about 15 minutes, another section of the combined force coming from Ringpam Tangkhul village approached the site.

The second section also joined the battle.

While the intense gun battle was going on, commandos called out all the villagers and herded them together in Emmaculate Catholic Church and in agricultural fields.

It is reported that the PLA cadres, after the initial gun fight, stopped firing even as the combined force continued firing all the while.

The security forces coming from Ringpam Tangkhul village were also heard firing intermittently.

The villagers also observed the security forces setting bush fire atop Tolen hill and Phoilen hill in their bid to drive off the PLA cadres.

Quoting wireless intercepts, AR sources claimed that they received information about one PLA cadre killed in the gun fight.

At about 12 noon, as the security personnel were descending from the hills through Merryland village, around 50 rounds of gun shots could be heard.

Consequent upon the gun shots, the security personnel took their position there while village women and children ran down to the church and the ground below.

But the shots were later found to be fired by a commando team in a bullet-proof Gypsy who were in the middle of the hills then.

Following cessation of firing from the PLA cadres, the security personnel were turning their vehicles at the foot hills to go back when fresh rounds of shots were fired by the PLA cadres at about 1 pm towards the area set ablaze by security forces.

Immediately, commandos were called in from Imphal for reinforcement and the gun battle between the two sides resumed.

It continued till 3.30 pm.

According to the villagers, the UG cadres came to the village at about 7 pm of January 21.They identified themselves as PLA cadres and took away 10 kgs of rice after paying for it, disclosed the villagers to a team of reporters who went there.

Again, they paid for another 30 kgs of rice yesterday.

Two of them had rocket launchers with them, added the villagers.