Ranchi, Mar 26 (PTI) 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."The identification of the dead Naxalites is being done through various sources. According to preliminary information, it was known that among the three deceased, one was ‘sub-zonal commander’ and another person was ‘area commander’ of the banned outfit,” Homkar said.Police claimed that a few more Naxalites were injured in the gunfight in Kawakhar forest as bloodstains were spotted at different locations of the forest.The police had a tip-off that an armed squad of TPC, led by its leaders Rakesh Ganjhu, Rajesh Oraon, Nathuni, and Jitendra Yadav, would meet at Hesalwar and Marwar forests of the district.A joint team of Jharkhand police and Jharkhand Jaguar were sent to carry out a search operation in the area on Saturday morning.“In Kawakhar forest, the Naxalites fired at the police party which retaliated in self-defence,” Homkar said. The officer said that when the gunfight came to an end, a search operation was carried out in the forest area following which the three bodies were recovered.The police also claimed of having recovered a self-loading rifle, cartridges, and ammunition storage devices from the spot.Meanwhile, a CPI (Maoist) area commander Vimal Lohra alias Bimal Pahan, who was wanted in 12 different cases, surrendered before the security forces in Khunti district on Saturday.The Jharkhand Police along with central armed forces have been carrying out an operation against Maoists in Lohardaga, Latehar, and Gumla districts since February 8.Till now, nine Maoists have been arrested, four ultras have been killed, and five Naxalites have surrendered. PTI SAN NAM MM MM