Four militants killed in Manipur gunfight

IMPHAL - At least four separatist militants were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Manipur, police said here Tuesday.

“The four militants of the United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA) were killed in an encounter with a combined team of police commandos and Assam Rifles troopers in Tamenglong district Monday night,” a police spokesman said.

A large cache of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle and small arms, and documents were recovered from the spot, 120 km north-west from Imphal.

The police spokesman said the bodies have been sent to the Regional Institute of Medical Science and Hospital here for autopsy.

Over 32 people have been killed in militancy-related incidents in Manipur this year.

There are about 20 militant groups, including seven banned outfits, in Manipur with demands ranging from secession to autonomy. Over 150 people were killed in 660 insurgency-related incidents in the northeastern state last year.