Imphal, Jun 6 (IANS): A Border Security Force (BSF) jawan was killed and two Assam Rifles personnel were shot at in a fierce gun battle with suspected militants in Manipur, officials said here on Tuesday.

During a combing operation, which was launched at Serou in Kakching district on Monday night and continued till Tuesday morning, the suspected militants fired at the security forces.

Defence sources said that the injured Assam Rifles personnel were evacuated to Mantripukhri in Imphal.

During the preliminary search, two AK series rifles, one 51mm mortar, two Carbines, huge quantities of ammunition and warlike stores have been recovered from the area.

Sanitisation operations are currently underway and further details are awaited.

"Extensive area domination operations by the Assam Rifles, BSF and Manipur Police were undertaken in the Sugnu and Serou areas. Intermittent firing between security forces and the insurgents took place throughout the night. Security forces effectively retaliated to the fire," the sources said.

Meanwhile, a defence release said that multiple incidents of violence, arson and firing in Sugnu and Serou in the past 48 hours necessitated the redeployment of additional troops.

The troops were tasked to beef up ongoing extensive area domination operations, ambushes and measures to prevent violence.

Security frces took adequate measures to prevent insurgents from 'breaking contact' and running away to nearby areas.

Sugnu was comparatively peaceful even after the break out of the ethnic clashes in Manipur on Monday 3.

However on June 2, heavily armed militants set fire to the house of former minister and Congress MLA K. Ranjit, as well as many other residences.

All houses at Serou have been burnt completely and people were taking refuge at Sugnu.

Following the burning of houses, people of the area started attacking the camp of a Kuki militant group under Suspension of Operations (SoO) agreement.