Imphal, October 03 2009: Atleast three persons have been slain and a security personnel wounded when a fierce gun-fight broke out between a team of Bishnupur district police commando and suspected underground activists at Leimaram area under Nambol police station at around 5.30 pm today.

According to a police source, one M-16 rifle and a large cache of ammunition have been recovered from the encounter site.

Further searches were on with the arrival of additional security reinforcement when this report was filed.

While the deceased trio are yet to be identified, the security personnel who sustained injury on the right arm and chest area is said to be a Havildar of the 2nd IRB attached to Bishnupur district police commando unit.

The injured havildar identified as Gin Gouthang (30) s/o Thangkholen of Pearsonmun village in churachandpur district is recuperating at RIMS Hospital where he was operated to remove a bullet lodged on the chest area.

The bullet reportedly penetrating through the right arm.

The police source further said that identified persons suspected to be UG cadres, who came in a DI Tata fired at the commando team resulting in an encounter for nearly 30 minutes at near Leimaram Shanti keithel.

Later, search of the nearby area along with a team of Maratha Light Infantry troops led to the recovery of the three bodies.