Imphal, Feb 19 (IANS): Suspected insurgents shot at and wounded three people, including a school girl, in Manipur on Friday, police sources said.

Yumnam Suraj, a school van driver, was at a restaurant at Wangkhei in Imphal east district when three youths stormed the place, asked the driver some questions and then shot at him.

The girl, a tribal girl hailing from Churachandpur district and studying in Imphal, was with him when she was shot at in the arm.

On hearing the gunshots, Romila, the owner's wife rushed out to intervene. The suspected rebels shot her three times in the chest from close range. She is battling for life in a hospital.

The sources said the driver had brought the girl to the restaurant. The driver maintained that he and the girl did nothing objectionable, but the sources said that they were "dancing".

The driver could not explain why he had brought the girl to the place. The incident comes after some outlawed underground organisations issued a public warning not to indulge in immoral activities.

Locals had burned down some restaurants, claiming they were being used as love nests.

Police said members of a banned outfit are responsible for Friday's shooting, though no group has made a claim so far.

The owner was not in the restaurant at the time of the incident.