From correspondents in Manipur, India, 08:04 PM IST

Three members of a militant group in Manipur were killed in a gunbattle with a rival outfit, police said Sunday.

'The three KNF-MC (Kuki National Liberation Front-Military Council) cadres were killed in a gunfight with the militants of the newly-formed United Tribal Liberation Army (UTLA) in Tamenglong district,' the police official said.

Police late Saturday recovered the bodies of the militants from a jungle and brought them to the Regional Institute of Medical Sciences (RIMS) here for autopsy before handing them over to their relatives.

There are about 20 militant groups, including seven banned outfits, in Manipur with demands ranging from secession to autonomy. Over 450 people have been killed in militancy-related violence in the state this year.

(Staff Writer, © IANS)