Date:10/09/2008 URL: http://www.thehindu.com/2008/09/10/stories/2008091055160700.htm

National

PREPAK camp busted, 5 militants killed

Iboyaima Laithangbam

IMPHAL: In a major offensive, police commandos of Bishnupur district and personnel of 4/8 Assam Rifles killed five militants and busted a camp of the banned People’s Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak (Cobra Task Force) inside the Loktak Lake in the early hours of Tuesday.

A woman cadre sustained a bullet injury in the leg in the heavy exchange of fire that lasted more than a hour. Also, the police made a heavy haul of weapons.

Briefing journalists, Yumnam Joykumar Director-General of Police said that on receipt of information that militants were camping near the Ningthoukhong canal, the special strike force moved into the area. The militants were killed in retaliatory fire. It was possible that some others escaped. The injured woman was admitted to hospital.

After the operation, the police recovered from the camp four AK 47 rifles, one lethod gun, one M-81 gun, one rocket launcher, 51 mortars, one M-16 gun, 22 lethod bombs, seven wireless sets, 3 kg of explosives, three binoculars, 2,000 rounds of assorted ammunition and detonators.

At Chingmeirong, about 3 km from here, some personnel were injured in a bomb explosion triggered by remote control. No underground outfit has claimed responsibility for the blast.