Patna, Jan 30 (IANS) A police official was on Saturday killed in a gun battle with Maoists in Bihar's Munger district, officials said.

Bhawesh Kumar, assistant sub inspector at the Dharhara police station in Munger, was killed in the gunfight near Bangali Bandh.

A group of Maoists attacked a patrol party of Bihar Police. They fired at the police personnel, and a bullet hit Bhawesh Kumar in the chest.

He succumbed to his injuries on way to a hospital, a police official said.

After the gun battle, a special task force along with paramilitary forces launched a combing operation in Munger and the neighbouring districts of Jamui and Banka.