IMPHAL, April 29: A fierce gun fight reportedly broke out between heavily armed cadres of two underground outfits based in the hills in a bushy place adjoining Oktan and Ijeirong village in Tamenglong district today around 1 pm.
Though the area where the gun fight took place falls under the jurisdiction of Tamenglong Police Station, it is situated just 14-km northeast of Noney Police Station, Tamenglong district.
The shootout site is not too far from 9 Dogra Regiment camp.
Meanwhile, an unofficial source claimed that the gun fight took place between cadres of NSCN (IM) and ZUF.
There were severe casualties on both the sides, the unofficial source claimed.
Cadres belonging to one of the outfits also took away sophisticated guns and bullets from the other outfit.
Official confirmation of the shootout and casualties inflicted could not be ascertained till late evening as State police forces could not rush to the site.
Meanwhile, in an unrelated incident a combined security force team recovered 100 live rounds of AK rifles, 1 kg of iron nail and explosive materials weighing around 200-400 gram during a search operation conducted at Nongren Chingjin under Lamlai Police Station in Imphal East this morning around 9.15.
Police sources said the search operation was conducted by a combined team of 49 BSF `E`™ Coy and Lamlai Police on receiving reliable information that a bag containing explosive materials is being kept concealed at the area. A case has been registered at Lamlai Police Station in connection with the incident.