Kohima, Dec 15 (IANS): A youth was shot and injured on Tuesday when NSCN-IM militants opened fire at Rani Colony in Assam's Cachar district as villagers refused their demands, police officials said.

Cachar District Superintendent of Police Ramandeep Kaur, who visited the area, said the incident took place 500 metres away from the Assam-Manipur border, which is occasionally used by the militants as their transit route.

Quoting the villagers, she said that around 10 cadres of the National Socialist Council of Nagalim-Isak-Muivah faction came to the village on Tuesday morning and sought accommodation and other facilities from the villagers. However, when villagers refused to provide any help, the cadres of the Naga outfit opened fire.

According to the police official, a youth was injured in the firing and he was shifted to the Silchar Medical College and Hospital. She said that the Assam Police in coordination with the Manipur Police have immediately launched a search operation to nab the NSCN-IM rebels.