Shillong, Aug 28 (IANS): Three bullet-riddled bodies were found Thursday in Meghalaya's Garo Hills region, police said.

A police spokesperson said the trio were gunned down Wednesday night by suspected tribal militants after they were kidnapped from other regions of the Garo Hills.

"We (police) recovered three bullet-riddled bodies from Oragitok village bordering in East and West Garo Hills district based on the information of Nokma (village chief)," Inspector General of Police in-charge operations, G.H.P. Raju told IANS.

Oragitok village is about 30 km from Tura, the district headquarters of West Garo Hills.

"Preliminary investigation has revealed that the trio were kidnapped from other Garo villages and brought to Oragitok village before they were gunned down Wednesday night," he said.

Of the three bodies, Raju said one of them has been identified as Grinder.T. Sangma from Samanda area in East Garo Hills district.

Meanwhile, police have launched a manhunt to nab the killers.

Garo Hills, comprising five districts in Meghalaya, has nine militant outfits operating there.