Three Naxalites were shot dead by the security forces at a forest in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Saturday morning, police said. The Naxalites belonged to Tritiya Prastuti Committee (TPC) -- a CPI (Maoist) breakaway faction, Inspector General of Police (Operations) Amol V Homkar said.

The Naxalites were killed in a gunfight with the forces at a forest in Manika police station area, he said. Some Naxalites managed to escape taking advantage of the dense forest, he added.

The three bodies were recovered during a search operation of the area following the gunfight, Homkar said.

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