Imphal, October 25: Troops of 14 Assam Rifles under 27 Sector gunned down a KNF (P) cadre today at about 4 am at Laikop village under Kangpokpi police station.

A statement issued by the office of IG AR (South) said that the incident occurred when a party of 14 Assam Rifles was intercepted by the militants who were extorting money in between Sapermeina and Kangpokpi.

The statement said that the troops were pressed into duty in between Sapermeina and Kangpokpi to check the activities of militants who were regularly looting and harassing passengers coming in tourist buses from Dimapur to Imphal.

A vehicle of the Assam Rifles was stopped by two militants mistaking it to be a civilian vehicle presumably to extort money.

On being challenged the militants opened fire at the Assam Rifles vehicle, said the statement and added that one of the militants was killed in retaliatory firing.

The other managed to escape through the thick foliage and undergrowth of the road side.

One Chinese made 9 mm pistol along with three live rounds and two empty cases were recovered from the slain militant, said the statement.

The body was handed over to Kangpokpi Police Station and the identity of the slain militant was established as one Paoboi Kipgen alias Genea (24) of Bongbal Khullen, a self styled corporal of the KNF (P)), said Assam Rifles.

The body was handed over to family members after post mortem.

Body recovered: A bullet riddled body was found near the Khuga river at Salam Konjin Uchan Makhong under Kumbi Police Station today at about 10 am.

Sources said that the body is in a slightly decomposed state and added that the deceased may have been killed two/three days back.

The unidentified victim resembles a tribal man and the body has been retrieved by Kumbi police and deposited at the Lilong PHC.

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