Silchar, Jul 17 (IANS): At least three suspected militants, belonging to Assam and Manipur, were killed and three police personnel were injured during an encounter in Assam’s Cachar district on Wednesday, officials said.

Cachar's Superintendent of Police Numal Mahatta said that the militants, belonging to a Hmar extremist outfit, were part of a larger group, which reportedly was planning to carry out "subversive activities" along the Assam-Manipur inter-state border area.

Acting on secret information, a police team rushed to the Krishnapur road area and arrested the three militants along with sophisticated weapons near Ganganagar while on the way towards Bhuban Hills in an autorickshaw. An AK-47 rifle, a single-barrel rifle, and a pistol, along with live ammunition, were recovered from the three, he told the media.

Mahatta said that during interrogation, the militants disclosed that some of their cadres were hiding in a nearby forest in Bhuban Hills and planning to undertake subversive activities along the Assam-Manipur border. Subsequently, a special operation was launched along with commandos on the Bhuban Hills side to apprehend the hiding militants on the basis of inputs provided by the three arrested extremists, who were also taken along.

"When the security force team reached the hills, the hiding 6-7 extremists started indiscriminate firing. The security personnel retaliated, ensuing a heavy exchange of fire between the both sides," he said. The accompanying apprehended militants, who were wearing bulletproof jackets and helmets, suffered grievous injuries during the encounter and were immediately taken to the Sonai Primary Health Centre and later shifted to Silchar Medical College and Hospital (SMCH), where the doctors declared all three dead, the SP said.

He said that three police personnel were also seriously injured during the gun battle and were admitted at the SMCH. The police official said that the hiding militants, however, managed to flee, taking advantage of the deep forest and uneven terrain. Security personnel recovered another assault rifle along with live ammunition and a number of empty cases from the encounter site.

The security personnel are continuing a search operation to apprehend the fleeing militants.

The slain militants were identified as Lallungawi Hmar, 21, and Lalbikung Hmar, 33, both residents of southern Assam, and Joshua, 35, a resident of Manipur's Churachandpur.