Top militant leader shot dead in Imphal

A top militant leader, who escaped from a police station near here a week ago, was killed in an encounter with police in the wee hours today.

Sunil Meitei, 'Commander in Chief' of militant outfit Kangleipak Communist Party-Mobile Task Force (KCP-MTF), was shot dead during a gunfight with commandos attached to the Imphal West district police.

He had escaped from Porompat Police Station by digging a tunnel on October 4 last.

Meitei, involved in several cases of extortion, murder and kidnapping, was arrested from Bangalore on June 29 last year by Delhi Police and later brought to Imphal, police said. Director General of Police (Manipur) Y Joykumar had earlier announced a cash reward of Rs1 lakh for anyone who could give information leading to the re-arrest of Meitei.