One militant killed in gun battle

Police sources told a posse of police and Assam Rifles have reached Taodaijang village where the fierce gun battle took place

One armed cadre of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) was killed during an hour long gun battle with the cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim (Isak-Muivah) late on Monday in Tamenglong district of Manipur.

Police sources told IANS on Tuesday that a posse of police and Assam Rifles have reached Taodaijang village where the fierce gun battle took place.

Confirming the recovery of the bullet-ridden body of the militant, police said that he was identified by local residents as Paouwalung of Ajuram village in the same district.

NSCN(IM) and ZUF are enemies and draw guns on sight of each other. There had been some encounters between the two outfits recently.

Combing operations have also been started in the suspected areas to flush the militants out. The ceasefire between the Indian government and the NSCN(IM) does not extend to Manipur.

Tamenglong district of Manipur is adjacent to Nagaland and as such cadres of these two outfits sneak into it from time to time.

There had been chance encounters. Besides, temporary mobile camps were also attacked which killed and injured some cadres. Being a mountainous region there cannot be tooth combs to smoke out the armed militants.