Imphal: Four Border Security Force (BSF) jawans were killed and another was seriously wounded when unidentified insurgents ambushed a party of the paramilitary forces at Lokchao area in Chandel district of Manipur on February 10, official sources said.

The incident occurred when the personnel of 37th BSF battalion were patrolling Lokchao area, about 90 km South East of Imphal, on Imphal-Moreh National Highway 39 at around 09:00 hours (IST).

According to the first official reports from Chandel district, BSF personnel retaliated after being attacked and the gunbattle lasted for over an hour.

The injured BSF jawan was airlifted and hospitalised.

The reports said the insurgents, whose identity was yet to be ascertained, took away arms including some highly-sophisticated weapons from the BSF personnel. The exact number of arms taken was not yet known.

Minutes after the gunshots were heard in the ambush, more personnel from the Lokchao BSF camp came out and opened fire at the insurgents, the sources said.

PTI