IMPHAL, Nov 11: Security personnel killed three villagers mistaking them to be armed militants while about a hundred houses were torched in ethnic clashes in four villages in Manipur's Churachandpur district.

Official reports reaching here today said the three residents of Paite Haijang village were returning home along with others when patrolling security men shot and killed them yesterday. The reports said the villagers were searching for a fellow villager who was kidnapped by Kuki activists.

Armed Kuki activists set afire 23 houses in two villages - K Phaicham and S Bualkot - under Churachandpur police station area.

In retaliation, suspected armed Paite activists set ablaze at least 75 houses in two Kuki villages - Haijang and Sumchinvum - under Singhat police station last evening, police sources said.

So far over 300 persons have been killed and over 3,000 houses torched or destroyed since the ethnic violence broke out in the district last June.

Chief Minister Rishang Keishing has convened a special meeting of all village chiefs, district leaders and elders to discuss the problems in the district on November 24 and 25.

Meanwhile, according to reports from Agartala a state-wide alert is sounded as two people were killed and 92 houses and shops torched in communal violence at two places in Tripura's north and south districts.

Army and para-military forces had been deployed in the areas where the situation was officially stated to be tense but under control.

One person was shot dead and another electrocuted while two others were injured when a group of tribal attacked non-tribal houses at Maharani in south Tripura district, setting on fire 40 houses and five shops yesterday, the sources said.

Copyright © 1997 Indian Express Newspapers (Bombay) Ltd.