IMPHAL: The Revolutionary People's Front (RPF) has claimed responsibility for the "inadvertent" killing of Manipur Inspector-General (Intelligence) T. Thangthuam and his escort commander S. Khamjam Paite at Oinam near here on December 31 last.

An RPF release said the military wing of the outfit, People's Liberation Army, had laid an ambush for army personnel but the IGP and his entourage walked into the trap.

It asked the police and State paramilitary troopers to be on guard, taking this contretemps as a warning. Mutual killings of sons of the soil should stop, the RPF said.

Although the police and security forces have launched combing operations in all suspected hideouts, no arrest has been made.

Tension still prevails in Churachandpur district, from where the IGP and Paite hailed. Tribals beat up members of a particular community. Motorcycles were torched.

Prohibitory orders under Section 144 of the Criminal Procedure Code have been promulgated and heavily armed policemen and paramilitary troopers are patrolling trouble-prone areas.

On Tuesday, two persons, including a betel leaf vendor from Bihar, were shot dead in Thoubal district. Another person, who was injured in the attack, is battling for his life in hospital.

All shops, educational institutions and offices were closed in the border town of Moreh, where women vigilantes have called an indefinite general strike. Also there is no vehicular movement.

It is alleged personnel of 24 Assam Rifles whisked away a youth, Sarangthem Jayanta. However, when family members along with some vigilantes approached the Assam Rifles camp, they were told that no such arrest had been made.

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