Imphal

In separate encounters, the security personnel have gunned down four militants in eastern Imphal and Bishenpur Districts of Manipur.

Reports reaching here from Imphal said that a joint team of police commandos and Assam Rifles raided Sanjenbam village in Imphal East District on Saturday morning after getting some leads on militant movement in the area.

During the search operation, the militants shot gunfire at the security forces and vice-versa. One militant was gunned down during the retaliatory fire from the security personnel. Rest of them managed to rescue.

Authorities in Imphal seized huge quantities of arms and ammunitions from suspected militants.

Talking to mediapersons, Brigadier Balbir Singh, Commander, 26 Sector Assam Rifles, said, "A huge quantity of arms and ammunition was seized from militants in the form of heavy caliber weapons that is the LMGs, AK-47s, RPGs and various smaller weapons."

"By seizing these we have been able to avert major tragedy in the area," he added

It looks as if the militants in Manipur cannot differentiate between those who try to control them and the ones who are just devoted to the service of common man.

The recent victim of militants belonging to the banned outfit Kanglei Yawol Kanna Lup (KYKL) was Manipur''s rural bank. The militants forced the bank to close down for an indefinite period while making the hapless staff of the bank go for a sit in demonstration against widespread militant activities.

Manipur Rural Bank has 18 branches throughout the state. It works for the uplift of the rural masses.