Defence sources said that armed miscreants resorted to unprovoked firing from Kanto Sabal towards the Chingmang village in Imphal West district during the intervening night of Sunday and Monday, injuring a soldier.

"Army Columns resorted to controlled retaliatory fire keeping in view the presence of villagers in the area.

"One Army soldier sustained a gunshot wound and he was immediately evacuated to the Military hospital at Leimakhong and is now stable.

"Additional columns of Army inducted in the area and joint operations are in progress," a defence spokesman said.

A police official said that before the gun battle with the Army, militants burnt down five houses at Leimakhong village.