LATEHAR: Five Maoists were today killed in an encounter with security forces in Serendaag jungle of Jharkhand's Latehar district, a senior police officer said.

Acting on a tip off that a group of Maoists had assembled in the jungle, a joint team of the district police and the CRPF had cordoned the area around midnight, Superintendent of Police (SP) Prasant Anand said.

They had asked the ultras to surrender, but the Maoists started firing on the security personnel this morning, forcing the joint team to retaliate, he said.

The encounter is still on, the SP said.

Bodies of five ultras have been recovered from the spot along with five rifles, he said, adding that two of them have been identified.

The security personnel have also launched a massive search operation in areas around Latehar, Maneka and Harehunj.