New Delhi  - At least four Maoist guerrillas were killed in combat with government forces in India's eastern state of Jharkhand, police said Sunday.

Police clashed with rebels from the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) Saturday night in the Hazaribagh district, about 110 kilometres south of state capital Ranchi.

"The security personnel asked a group of 25 rebels to surrender but the rebels opened fire. In the ensuing exchange, four Maoists were killed," district police chief Praveen Kumar Singh said.

"A female rebel was also arrested. We have recovered some arms and ammunition from the scene which included rifles the rebels had looted from police stations earlier," Singh said, adding that one police officer was injured in the encounter.

According to the police, the slain rebels included regional commander Vijay Yadav who was suspected behind the killing of a politician in 2005.

Police teams were continuing search operations to track down the the rebels who had fled into jungles.

Maoist insurgents who claim to be fighting for the rights of the rural poor, tribal people and the landless operate in 13 of India's 29 states.

The rebels are active in 18 out of 24 districts in Jharkhand, which is one of the Indian states of heaviest rebel presence.

Over the last seven years, more than 1,000 people including civilians and Maoists have been killed, among 614 civilians and 290 security personnel. (dpa)