Imphal, July 01: Three suspected underground activists who were hijacking a bus have been killed by a combined force of police commandos and Assam Rifles during a shoot-out at Langol Games Village under Lamphel Police Station at around 1.40 pm today.Police suspect the slain persons to be KYKL cadres.

In connection with the shoot-out, police said that on receiving information about the hijacking of a bus bearing registration no.MNO1 0775(Lanchenbi Express) plyin between Imphal and Heirok from Khuman Lampak Bus Terminus by three armed persons and taking it toward Langol area at around 12.45 pm, Police Commandos rushed to Langol area.

One Apache team of the police rush in from Thangmeiband Tarung side and another commando team from Langol Village side to trace the hijacked bus.

After searching the area, the combined force came across the three armed hijackers preparing to set on fire the bus at Langol Games Village and the shoot out took place in trying to rescue the bus.

All the three armed persons suspected to be KYKL activists were killed, police said, adding that one 9 mm pistol, nine live rounds of ammunition and three empty cartridges have been recovered from the site of the incident.

In all eight persons had boarded the bus including the three armed UG suspects, the driver and four other passengers.

The bus is said to be used in the service of ferrying students of Maria Montesorri located at Koirengei.

However, with the summer vacation of the school on, it is being used to ferry passengers since June 17. After picking up passengers and coming from Heirok, the bus was being parked at Khuman Lampak Bus Terminus when three unidentified armed persons hijacked it from there.

As the driver of the bus was not present at the time of the hijack, the unidentified gunmen had forced another bus driver to drive it.

According to the driver, the unidentified armed hijackers identified themselves as KYKL activists.

He also that the owner of the bus is one Jiban of Heirok Part-III.

Meanwhile, the police have picked up the bodies of the three suspected KYKL activists and kept them at the mortuary of RIMS Hospital for identification.

Police have also taken into custody the bus.