Online Desk: Three persons, including a father and his son, were gunned down in their sleep when suspected militants struck in ethnic strife-hit north eastern Indian state of Manipur’s Bishnupur district late last night, the Indian media reported today citing police.

The three were gunned down and later slashed with swords at Kwakta in the district, police said, adding the assailants came from Churachandpur. The three used to stay in a relief camp but had moved to their residences in Kwakta yesterday, PTI said quoting police.

Soon after the incident, a mob gathered at Kwakta and wanted to head towards Churachandpur but was stopped by security personnel, police said, reports our New Delhi correspondent. “Heavy exchange of fire between security forces and militants was going on at nearby Phougakchao and in the vicinity of Kwakta,” they said.

On August 4, Manipur police said a joint security force conducted an operation in the Koutruk hill range and destroyed seven illegal bunkers. Meanwhile, a 24-hour strike called by the coordinating committee of 27 assembly constituencies in Manipur went into force today in Manipur capita Imhal, crippling day-to-day life.

Business establishments remained shut in almost all localities and public transport stayed off the road. Only a few private vehicles were seen plying the streets. Schools also remained closed due to the strike from midnight.

Ethnic strife, which first broke out in Manipur on May 3 between majority Meteis and minority Kuki-Zo tribes, has claimed more than 160 lives and rendered 50,000 homeless.