IMPHAL, Oct 2 MNS NNN: A militant suspect has been gunned down by Imphal West district police commandos during an encounter that took place at Lamdeng Khunou Makha Leikai under Lamshang Police Station, Imphal West on Tuesday, a day after the district police commandos killed another militant suspect in the district.
\nThe slain militant suspect has been identified as one Thiyam Romen alias Romen aged 43, son of Th Mani of Irom Meijrao in the district.
\nThe reported encounter happened at about 5:40 am at a spot between two hillocks in Lamdeng Khunou Makha Leikai.
\nPolice said a team of Imphal West district police commandos rushed in the area after receiving a tip about presence of militants there since early morning. The ploice team, upon reaching there, saw an unidentified man walking on a suspicious manner when they asked him to halt, he threw a hand grenade at the police team but the bomb failed to explode when the commandos shot him to death in retaliation.
\nThe commando team recovered one 9 mm pistol and three hand grenades carrying in a bag from the slain militant suspect, they added.
\nThe body has been brought to the mortuary of Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).
\nHowever, sources from the family of the deceased said he had been whisked away from his bed by two unknown gunmen clad in civilian clothes just after the past midnight.
\nRomen was asleep with his 13-year-old son when the gunmen took him away. The unidentified gunmen suspected to be security personnel first barged into a house next to the house of Romen before they took him away.
\nThey said Romen wore a khudei and an armless shirt when the gunmen pulled him out of the house but he was found dead wearing a half pant and a T- shirt.
\nRomen had been in police custody after he was arrested on the charges of being a militant in October 2010. He was later released on bail, the family informed.
\nMeanwhile, the identity of the militant suspect who was killed by Imphal West district police commandos during a reported encounter that occurred at Takyel Khongbal in Imphal West yesterday has been established.
\nHe has been identified as Sapam Ranjan aged 19, son of S Ratan, a resident of Sagomband Moirang Hanuba Leirak, Imphal West.
\nIt is said that Ranjan had been at home for the last one week after joining the banned Kanglei Yaon Kanna Lup (KYKL) about nine years ago.<\/p>\n\n