Slain five PREPAK cadres: SP
Source: The Sangai Express

Imphal, December 09 2008: All the five men killed in an encounter with Thoubal police commandos near Langathel Laingamching under Kakching police station last night were PREPAK cadres who came in a hijacked Tata tipper to undertake some subversive activities, said Superintendent of Police (SP) Thoubal district Clay Khongsai.

Displaying weapons recovered from the slain cadres to media persons at his office chamber in Thoubal district police headquarters today, the SP said that the encounter ensued when QRTs of Thoubal police commandos, acting on specific information about the movement of PREPAK cadres in a hijacked truck, moved in to thwart their (UG cadres) design.

Weapons and other items recovered from the slain PREPAK cadres being put on display

On receiving the specific information at about 8.30 pm, commandos lay in ambush at strategic points.

At about 8.40 pm, the commandos signalled a Tata tipper coming from Langathel side along Khongjom-Langathel road to halt near Langathel Laingamching using torchlight. But in the next moment, the commandos were fired upon with sophisticated weapons by those individuals who came in the truck.

Immediately, the commandos retaliated killing the five UG cadres, recounted Clay Khongsai.

After the shoot-out which last for about 25 to 30 minutes, the commandos searched the truck and the adjacent spot during which five men were found slain in and around the truck.

They also recovered some weapons.

The recovered items included two AK-56 rifles, three magazines, 21 live rounds, one lethod gun with 10 live shells, one AK-47 rifle, one .36 high explosive hand grenade, one Chinese made hand grenade, one magazine pouch, one haversack, some clothes and medicines.

The tipper truck bearing registration number MN-03T/0065 used by the UG cadres has also been seized. Driver of the hijacked truck, another civil driver and a PREPAK cadre also sustained injuries in last night's incident, informed the SP. The injured drivers are Moirangthem Ibomcha (35) s/o Lumon of Koirengei Maiba Khul and Laimujam Hemanta (35) s/o Maimu of Wangjing Tentha.

Ibomcha was hit by one bullet each on the left wrist and both the legs below knees.

Hemanta was hit by two bullets on the abdomen, one on right arm and another on the left shoulder.

Both of them are currently undergoing treatment at Shija Hospitals and Research Institute.

Ibomcha was driving the truck when the incident took place.

Hemanta said some 6/7 armed persons hijacked the truck from Phundrei Ching Leikai at about 7.30 pm yesterday and asked to take them to Khongjom.

The tipper was engaged in a pond digging work at Phundrei.

Even as Ibomcha and Hemanta refused to oblige at first, they were forced to take the UG cadres to Khongjom after the UGs brandished their weapons and threatened them, Hemanta conveyed.

According to police sources, the injured PREPAK cadre who is currently undergoing treatment in ICU at Shija Hospital after being hit by a bullet at the abdomen has been identified as Khundrakpam Sana alias Rahul alias Chaoba (19) s/o Yaima of Heirok Part II.

However, the PREPAK cadre is entered in the register of Shija Hospital as one Yumnam Chaoba (32) s/o Ibempishak Devi of Arong Tera.

Out of the five slain PREPAK cadres, four have been identified and their corpses claimed by family members after post mortem at Lilong PHC today.

The corpse of the unidentified cadre is lying at RIMS mortuary.

The identified slain cadres were Ningthoujam Bhogen alias Koko (26) s/o Ibomcha of Heirok Part II, Huidrom Kokngang (31) s/o Ibotomba of Wabagai Tera Pishak, Yengkhom Bungo (23) s/o late Sanatomba of Bishnupur ward No 2 and Loitongbam Dinesh alias Naoba (32) s/o Amuyaima of Langjing Achouba.