Imphal, March 15, 2010: A 24 year-old youth identified as Chongtham Nanao @ Sanjay, son of Ch Iboyai, residing at Sekmaijin Maning Leikai under the jurisdiction of Kakching Police Station in Thoubal district, who was allegedly arrested by a combined team of Thoubal district police commandos and 21 AR at about 9.10 pm yesterday, was found shot dead in what the police claimed to be an encounter.

Angered by the killing, the local residents of Sekmaijin areas piled up tree branches, bamboos, stones, etc.

on the Sekmaijin bridge and blocked the Wabagai-Imphal-Mayai Lambi road from 8 am today.

Family members told media-persons today that Nanao, along with a relative from the same locality, after having food, went out together toward the gate around 9 pm yesterday.

At that time, a team of police commandos came in a Gypsy and a Rakshak (a bullet proof vehicle) and arrested both the youths.

They lifted them up in the vehicle.

Later, the relative was made to get off the vehicle, but Nanao @ Sanjay was taken away in the vehicle.

This morning, the family members heard that there was a dead body of a man at Kakching Police Station, supposed to have been killed in encounter, and they went to see the body, and found Nanao's dead body hit by bullets.

The deceased, Nanao @ Sanjay had joined the KYKL about three years ago and was with the insurgent organisation for about six/seven months.

After that he had returned home due to his illness, and was being treated at home.

He was suffering from not only malaria and kidney problem but also mental problem.

However, he works in the field and farm to help the family, the family members related to the media-persons.

A meeting of the residents of Sekmaijin areas was held in protest against the killing at about 7.30 am at Sekmaijin bazar today.

Social worker, Ningthoujam Ibohal presided over the meeting, which resolved to form a Joint Action Committee (JAC) against the killing of Chongtham Nanao @ Sanjay by security forces.

Other resolutions the meeting adopted were to demand befitting punishment to the commandos and AR personnel involved in the killing, payment of ex-gratia and employment of a member of the family in the government, and also not to allow any outsider to enter Sekmaijin and the lane to Sekmaijin-Thongam after 6 pm till 6 am, etc.

Any person who enters the said areas by defying the restriction would have to bear responsiblity for any consequences that may arise thereof, the meeting resolved.

A memorandum mentioning the resolutions was submitted to the Chief Minister's office through the MLA of Hiyanglam A/C, E Dwijamani.

Copies of the memorandum were also handed over to police officers concerned.

The JAC has decided not to accept the body and will continue various forms of agitations until the demands are achieved, leaders of the JAC said.

Since the road blockade would cause inconveniencees to the public, the protesters lifted the blockade at about 2 pm today.

However, the JAC would launch indefinite bandh on Imphal-Mayai Lambi road from 6 am tomorrow, convenor of the JAC, Oinam Brojen warned.

On the other hand, police said that a reliable information about the presence of some underground cadres on the road from Kakching to Langmeidong Lamjao was received at about 1 am yesterday.

When a combined team of Thoubal district police commandos and 21 AR rushed to the area to conduct search operations, the underground insurgents opened fire at them.

A fight ensued.

Finally, when the militants' side had fallen silent, the combined team launched a search operation and found the dead body of a youth.

One 9mm pistol, an India-made handgrenade with detonator, a magazine containing three live rounds of 9mm were also reportedly recovered from the possession of the body, police said.

When police picked up the body and kept it at the Police Station, family members of the deceased youth came to the police station and identified body as that of Nanao @ Sanjay.

Kakching Police have taken the body and kept it at RIMS morgue.

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