Angara (Jharkhand), Oct.25 Four Maoists have been killed and three arrested in an encounter at Jonha, about 40 kilometres from State capital Ranchi by the Jharkhand Police and Central paramilitary forced in a joint operation, police said on Sunday.

According to police, following a tip off about Maoists' movement taking place towards Purulia district in the neighbouring West Bengal State, the security forces laid a trap by putting blockades at various places. A fierce gunfight took place at Jonha, about 40 kilometres away from State capital, Ranchi.

"We had placed blockades at six places which were there continuously for the past 2 days. We were successful near Jonha area where following an encounter four Maoists were killed, though we have only found one body. The search operation is on to find rest of the Maoists. We have found three rifles, backpacks, their vehicle, a motorcycle and lot of ammunitions," said Praveen Kumar, Senior Superintendent of Police, Ranchi.

Police also confirmed of having arrested three Maoists.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described Maoists as the biggest internal security challenge since independence, which began four decades ago championing the cause of poor peasants in the east, but has now spread to about 20 of India's 29 states.

Union Home Minister P. Chidambaram said the government was willing to talk to the Maoists about issues such as poverty and corruption that are often blamed for stoking the insurgency, but insisted the rebels must first stop violence. (ANI)