IMPHAL, June 5 ? In a major breakthrough, a combined force of state police Wednesday gunned down Chief of Army Staff of the banned Kuki Liberation Army (KLA) who was involved in the kidnapping of many officials including a German national during an exchange of fire in Maphou dam area under Lamlai police station in Imphal east district.
Another leader identified as Thangkhomang Lupheng (28), a resident of Maphou dam area of the outfit was also arrested during an operation conducted at Games Village in Langol in Imphal West district in the wee hours of Wednesday. The additional director general of police (law & order and operations) Y Joykumar while briefing mediamen this afternoon said ?the exchange of fire between the two sides took place around 3.30 am Wednesday near Chaningpokpi in Maphou dam area under Lamlai police station.?
The deceased Chief of the Army Staff Paozangam Lupheng (30) of Saikul in Senapati district was accosted by a frisking party of the Manipur Police commando on Tuesday night around 11.30 from Sawombung area, 10 km north-east of Imphal East district while the underground leader was coming in a motorcycle towards Imphal, prior to the encounter Wednesday. From his disclosure, the team also managed to nab Thanghomang Lupheng, another Cadre. KLA in the past few months had kidanpped eldest son of the Rajya Sabha MP Rishang Keishing, deputy general manager of Bharat Sanchar Nigam Ltd T Lunkim and a German national Heinrich Wolfgang Informing the media atter taking the statement of the arrested KLA cadre, senior police officer Joykumar claimed,? It was clear that they (KLA) had taken a sum of Rs 50 lakh as ransom from them prior to their release?.
?We would continue to launch massive combing operation from time to time to track down those individuals who indulge in unlawful and anti-social acivities,? the officer added.
Meanwhile, dead body of an unknown person suspected to be as member of Kuki National Front, another Kuki underground outfit was recovered from Sendra area under Moirang Police station in Bishnupur district Wednesday. Local sources said that a gun shot was heard Tuesday night nearby the Sendra tourist spot.