Ranchi | At least three members of a banned Maoist splinter group were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Gumla district on Wednesday morning, police said.

The encounter between security forces, comprising the Jharkhand Jaguar and Gumla Police, and Maoists of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), took place in a forest area under Bishnupur police station limits around 8 am.

"Three JJMP Maoists were killed in the gunfight. Three weapons were also recovered from the site," IG (Operations) and Jharkhand Police spokesperson Michael Raj S told PTI.

He said a search operation is still underway