New Delhi, Jan 12 (IANS): Two Maoists have been killed in a shootout with the CRPF during a search operation launched by the paramilitary force in Hazaribagh in Jharkhand, an official said on Friday.

The shootout took place around 11.23 p.m. on Thursday between the Maoists and a joint team of the 22 Battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and the Jharkhand Police.

The Maoists opened fire on the security team when it was searching the thick forested area of Donai Khurd, CRPF Deputy Inspector General M. Dinakaran told IANS.

The CRPF team recovered two dead bodies and seized one AK-47, one Insas rifle and 200 live cartridges from the spot after the operation.

Search operations were still on, Dinakaran said.

Similar operations were also carried out in the forests of Pidmel, Pollampalli, Sukma in Chattisgarh.

Around 12.30 a.m. on Friday in another shootout a CRPF constable suffered bullet injury during the searches in Sukma, the officer said.

The officer said the constable was evacuated by a chopper and admitted in a hospital in Raipur. His condition was reportedly stable.