Patna, Jan 5 (IANS) At least two Maoist guerrillas were killed and three seriously injured Sunday in a fierce encounter with security forces in a forest area in Bihar's Jamui district, police said.

Jamui Superintendent of Police Jitendra Rana said two Maoists were killed in the shootout with police, and three seriously injured. The district headquarters of Jamui is about 175 km from state capital Patna.

"There may be more casualties among the Maoists," he said.

According to him, the shootout occurred at Pathakchak village, which falls under the jurisdiction of the Sikandara police station, after security forces launched a search operation in the village on a tip-off that Maoists had gathered there.

Once surrounded, the Maoists fired at policemen, forcing the men in uniform to retaliate, police said. 

Police had, Sunday morning, recovered the bodies of two people in a forest near Charka Pathar village in Jamui. 

"Preliminary inquiry suggest that the two were killed by Maoists, who slit their throats," the police officer said. 

Jamui is considered a stronghold of the Maoists.