By IANS
Ranchi : At least five Maoist guerrillas were Thursday killed by a village security team and the police in Jamshedpur district of Jharkhand, police officials said.
Around 10 to 15 rebels of the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) surrounded Karuunum village, about 170 km from here, early Thursday.
The Nagrik Suraksha Samiti (NSS), a village defence group formed by the police to fight Maoist insurgency, countered the Maoist attack and killed two of the guerrillas.
The NSS members later informed the police and additional security forces were sent to assist them.
Three Maoists were killed in the ensuing shootout between the guerrillas and the police in the nearby jungle of Dumaraia.
Director General of Police Vishnu Dayal Ram said: “One Insas and three AK 57 rifles as well as live cartridges have been recovered from the Maoists.”
One of the Maoists killed by the NSS has been identified as Vikas. He is said to have masterminded the attack that led to the death of Jharkhand Mukti Morcha (JMM) MP Sunil Mahto in March last year.
Maoist rebels are active in 18 of the 24 districts of Jharkhand. In the last seven years, more than 1,000 people have been killed in Maoist related violence in the state.