Imphal Jul 2 MNS/UNA : An alleged bid to ambush an inspection team led by state works minister was Tuesday foiled by a team of Manipur police commandos who engaged in a brief gun fight with the militants at Senapati’s Gopibung area under Kangpokpi police station. Police suspect the cadres of Kuki National Front (KNF) who engaged in the brief gun fight with the police commandos today, around 11 am. No casualty was reported on both sides.
However, a highly reliable local source said that the police commandos escorting the VIPs on inspection tour at Kangpokpi area of Senapati district opened fired when they spotted around six armed militants in combat dress on the way the inspection team was about to travel, apparently taking position to lay ambush on the inspection team.
The inspection team led by state works minister Kh Ratankumar included MLA from Kangpokpi A/C Nemcha Kipgen, social worker O Henry and additional chief engineer of PWD, Pradeep Mukherjee and the team was inspecting the condition of inter village roads in the area.
Police source said that suspected KNF cadres numbering around six were spotted by the police team escorting the VIPs after traveling two kilometers from Persian village near Gopibung. When the police commandos spotted the cadres just 60 meters away and sensing the situation opened fired to the cadres in which the cadres also retaliated with automatic weapons.
Personnel of the Manipur Rifles escorting the minister, MLA and officials also joined in the exchange of fire with the cadres. After a brief exchange of fire the police and security force backed from the area as the cadres were leaving the spot.
The spot of firing was not far from the designated camp of KNF maintaining tripartite suspension of operation with the state and Central government and there was high possibility of KNF cadres engaging in the gun fight. There is no any report of casualty in the exchange of fire.
The inspection team led by the works minister backed to Imphal without suspending further inspection to the progress of road improvement works being taken up in the area by the state PWD.
Read more / Original news source: http://manipur-mail.com/militants-ambush-works-ministers-convoy-none-hurt/
