Hyderabad, May 5: Three members of the Communist Party of India-Marxist Leninist (CPI-ML) Janashakti faction were Monday gunned down by the police in Andhra Pradesh's Khammam district.

The Maoists were killed in Rallapadu forest area in Tekulapalli mandal, about 300 km from here.

Police said that a police party engaged in combing operations came face to face with the rebels. When asked to surrender, they fired at the police. The police fired back and killed the three men.

Janashakti state committee member Daya was among the slain men. Two others were identified as armed squad members Kishan and Nagarjuna. The police recovered two pistols and a rifle from the scene.

Janshakti is one the splinter guerilla groups in the state, mainly active in Telangana region. It has lost several top leaders and cadres in gun battles with the police in recent years.

Last month, the outfit's top most leader, known only as Amar, was arrested in Maharashtra.