New Delhi - Police killed at least five suspected separatist rebels in India's north-eastern state of Manipur, a news report said Tuesday.

A group of militants in a vehicle opened fire at police on patrol in central Thoubal district late on Monday night, the PTI news agency reported.

Five rebels were killed in the ensuing gunbattle that lasted nearly half an hour, official sources told the PTI. Arms and ammunition were recovered from the scene.

Police said the slain militants belonged to the People's Revolutionary Party of Kangleipak.

The guerrilla groups has been fighting security forces over the past three decades in a struggle for an independent homeland for the majority Metei community.

More than 19 militant groups are active in Manipur, a state bordering Myanmar, with demands ranging from secession to greater autonomy.

More than 365 people, including civilians, have been killed in the militancy-related violence in the restive state this year.

India's north-east is a volatile region where nearly 40 separatist, tribal or leftist groups are active in five states. More than 15,000 people have lost their lives to insurgencies in the region in the past decade. (dpa)