Ranchi, Three women Maoist rebels were killed in a gun-battle with security forces in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Saturday, police said.

Their bodies have been recovered, police said, adding the rebels are yet to be identified.

The police have recovered weapons from them.

The gun-battle took place at Raidatola situated in forest areas of West Singhbhum district.

The police said it had information about the presence of armed guerrillas in the area. A operation was launched to arrest the Maoists. "During a search operation, the gun-battle ensued in which three Maoists were killed and the rest managed to escape," police said.

On Friday late night Maoist rebels had blown up a house located at Jorapakhar village of the same district and shot a youth. The injured youth is being treated at a local hospital.