At least three policemen were killed Monday in a shoot-out between the police and Maoists at Arkhabang and Wangdi in Gulmi Monday, local security sources said.

The bodies of three of five policemen on patrol were recovered Tuesday at Wading. The number of rebel casualties in the encounter was not known. Two rebels were killed Monday night at Rahuban in Palpa, security sources said.

Relatives of a soldier who went home on holiday hacked and severely injured three rebels in Ramechap district with khukris Sunday, published reports said Wednesday. The relatives pursued and hacked the rebels with khukris after Bed Bahadur Bhujel was abducted from his home in Khimti village; rebels decamped with the injured.

Police shot dead a Maoist at Sunbarsha in Banke Tuesday, the Defence Ministry said. The rebel was killed in retaliatory firing after an attack on a police patrol.