IMPHAL, Oct 8 � Six NSCN-IM cadres and a civilian were killed in a shoot-out with the Zeliangrong Tiger Force (ZTF), the armed wing of the Zeliangrong United Front (ZUF) in Tamenglong district of Manipur last evening, according to Manipur police.
The ZUF, the militant outfit which was formed few months back, claimed today that six cadres of the NSCN-IM were killed and several injured including their �Brigadier� Sounii Poumai, who is reportedly in-charge of three NSCN-IM battalions and one brigade.
However, the NSCN-IM, the Zeliangrong Youth Front and Zeliangrong Students Union Manipur claimed that five NSCN-IM cadres and a civilian got killed in the encounter.
According to Manipur police, six cadres of NSCN (IM) and one civilian were killed and five others critically wounded in a fierce gunbattle between the outfit and proscribed ZUF in Tamenglong district.
The heavy fighting took place in an area between Laishom village and Khoupum village under Khoupum police station in Tamenglong district at around 7 pm last night, police said, adding that seven were killed and another five injured in the gunbattle. The injured were also cadres of NSCN. However, it is not clear whether the ZUF suffered casualty on their side.
The incident happened when a group of NSCN (IM) cadres heading towards Khoupum village were ambushed by a group of ZUF cadres near Leishom near Khoupum, bordering Churachandpur, Tamenglong and Bishnupur districts, resulting in heavy casualty on the NSCN (IM) side, police said.
A team of police rushed to the spot today and the bodies were recovered. The police team reached Khoupum village in the evening. The bodies will be brought here for post mortem examination, the police said.
Meanwhile, the ZUF said cadres of NSCN-IM in large number came to the Khoupum area yesterday at around 3 pm and attacked the ZUF/ZTF cadres at around 6 pm and a shoot out ensued between the two groups which lasted for an hour. The ZUF also said another nine cadres of the NSCN-IM were captured but were released.
