Bishenpur (Manipur), Sept 9 : Security personnel shot dead five separatist guerrillas hiding out on an island in the middle of a lake in Bishenpur area of Manipur during an encounter, police officials said on Tuesday.

The rebels, belonging to PREPAK, a powerful armed group in Manipur were hiding in a house they had built in one of the lake''s in many small islands, a defence spokesman said.

Officials said that large cache of arms and ammunitions have been recovered from the militants.