IMPHAL, July 28: In a major counter insurgency operation this afternoon at around 3 pm, a combined team of Assam Rifles troops managed to rescue a kidnapped victim while killing one of his alleged abductors and arrested another two after a brief gun-fight along the hill range of Lamlong Khuleen near Machi Khul under Tengnoupal PS, Chandel.
According to an official report, a combine team of the 15, 24 and 42 Assam Rifles were conducting a tracking operation of a kidnapped individual since early this morning along the Machi road after getting credible information on the presence of some unidentified armed militants suspected to be KCP members and the alleged kidnappers of Soibam Kishore, 60, of Tekcham Mayai Leikai of Thoubal district brother in law of member of Langathel Gram Panchayat member, in the area. Soibam Kishore was allegedly kidnapped from his locality at gun-point by suspected militants yesterday.
Meanwhile, the combined team while moving along the Lamlong Khullen near Machi village during their massive operation was fired upon by unidentified persons believed to be militants, who seem to have been already stationed around the area, at which the troops retaliated resulting in a heavy exchange of firing between the two sides for about five minutes, before the militants managed good their escape taking advantage of the hilly terrains, stated the source.
Further according to the source, the troops proceeded with their manhunt along the route along which the militants were believed to have made their escape. A little farther along the route, the troops found a bullet ridden body of one of the militants near by a bush and further trailing the escaped militants managed to rescue the kidnapped victim, who was also reportedly injured from the gun fight, and nabbed two other militants who were found hiding in a nearby bush, the source added.
The troops further recovered two small arms alongwith ammunitions from the deceased person and the two arrested militants, the source added.
The source further mentioned that, the dead body along with the rescued kidnapping victim and the two arrested militants have been handed over to the Tengnoupal police station this late evening.
Another official source has identified the dead militant as Moirangthem Bobby, 24, s/o Achou of Langathel of Thoubal district and the two arrested cadres as Morangthen Nanao, 22, younger brother of the deceased Bobby and Yengkhom Ratan, 22, s/o Ibocha of Pallel Maning Leikai.
