Imphal, July 6: A joint team of police and the Assam Rifles last night gunned down a suspected militant in Thoubal district of Manipur, nearly 24 hours before the beginning of a two-day strike at a village in Imphal West district in protest against the killing of a youth by a combined force.

The suspected rebel was shot dead in an encounter at Tekcham in Thoubal district at 11.30 last night, according to sources in the police and Assam Rifles. The person accompanying him escaped. The troops seized a revolver and one scooter.

Thoubal district has been put on high alert in the wake of militant threats to the villagers of Heirok where the Okram Ibobi Singh government was planning to open a special police officer force for the villagers’ self defence.

The joint action committee of Haobam Marak in Imphal West district has called a 48-hour general strike from midnight tonight in protest against the killing of a youth identified as Langpoklakpam Bimolchandra Singh, 36, by a combined team of the police and the Assam Rifles on Friday morning. The committee claimed that the man, a contractor, was innocent.

It said he had left home on Friday morning with money to pay the labourers. It has demanded compensation for his family and punishment to the personnel involved in the killing.

The family is yet to receive the body which is kept at the mortuary of the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS).

Sources in the police and the Assam Rifles, however, alleged that the man attempted to escape after trying to hurl a hand grenade at the security forces.

A hand grenade was found on him, the police said.