Nine Manipur militants killed in encounters

IMPHAL - Nine separatist guerrillas were Thursday killed in two separate encounters with security forces in the restive northeastern state of Manipur, officials said.

A police spokesperson said a group of heavily armed militants of the Kangleipak Communist Party (KCP) attacked a patrol of the paramilitary Assam Rifles near Waithou village, 18 km south of Manipur’s state capital Imphal.

“Based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of a group of militants, an Assam Rifles column was in the area early Thursday when they came under attack from the rebels. There was retaliatory gun fire in which three KCP militants were shot dead,” a senior police official said.

A few more rebels probably managed to escape after the security forces counter attacked, the official said. “A massive search is on to look for them.”

Security forces recovered automatic weapons and ammunition from the dead militants.

In another encounter in the adjoining Chandel district Thursday, six militants of the outlawed People’s Republic of Kangleipak (Prepak) were gunned down by Assam Rifles troopers.

“There was a heavy gun fight between the Prepak militants and security forces, leading to the death of six of the rebels,” the official said.

The incident took place near Sajik Tampak in Chandel district, about 90 km south of Imphal. An assortment of weapons was recovered from the dead militants.

Both the KCP and the Prepak are rebel groups fighting for an independent homeland for the majority Metei community in Manipur, a state of 2.4 million people, bordering Myanmar.

There are some 20-odd militant groups active in Manipur with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy.