A gun battle between Indian security forces and insurgents in Manipur state killed one security personnel and wounded two others early on Tuesday, the army said, days after many militants were killed there in an operation following deadly ethnic clashes, reports Reuters.

The northeastern state bordering Myanmar has been tense in the past few weeks, with rioting and ethnic clashes killing at least 60 people and displacing 35,000 since early May. More than 30 militants were killed last month after security forces launched a massive crackdown.

"Intermittent firing between security forces & a group of insurgents took place throughout the night of 05/06 June," the Indian Army said on Twitter. "Security forces effectively retaliated to the fire."

It said a soldier from the Border Security Force died and two personnel from Assam Rifles, a paramilitary force with a focus on India's northeast, were wounded.

"Search operations (are) in progress," the army said.

The ethnic violence began when tribal groups clashed with the majority Meitei community over economic benefits and quotas given to the tribes. Tribal communities are worried about a possible extension of their benefits to the Meiteis.

According to a PTI report, the injured have been air evacuated to Mantripukhri and search operations are in progress, the Army’s SpearCorps headquartered in Dimapur said on Twitter. Further details will follow, it said.

3 killed and 4 injured in Imphal West district

Earlier on Monday morning, three persons were killed and four others injured in a gunfight between two armed groups in Manipur's Imphal West district, police said, reports PTI.

The incident happened in Kangchup area of the district, they said.

Those injured were admitted to a hospital in Imphal where their conditions were stated to be stable, police said.

In Kakching district, four people were injured in Serou in an exchange of fire between two groups, they said.