Security forces today intensified operations to rescue the three policemen kidnapped by the Maoists even as a body was found in a jungle, which police said was not that of sub-inspector Abhay Yadav, whom the Naxals had claimed to have executed.

The deadline set by the Maoists for killing the other three hostages will expire at 10 am.

"Combined force of Cobra Battalion of CRPF, BMP, STF and SAP of Bihar police intensified anti-Maoists operations for rescuing the policemen kidnapped by the Maoists during Sunday's encounter in Lakhisarai district," Inspector General (Operations), K S Dwivedi, overseeing the anti-Naxal operations, told PTI.

BSF helicopters carrying Cobra battalion personnel hovered over the hills in hunt for the Naxalites for ensuring safe release of the hostages, Dwivedi said.

Intense search operations continued in the hilly and forest areas in Dharhara, Kajra and several other places in Bihar's Munger, Jamui and Lakhisarai districts, he said.

Dwivedi said the police have not yet found the body of Abhay Yadav. Maoists claimed to have thrown his body in the forests under Kajra police station in Lakhisarai district.

When contacted, ADG (Headquarters) P K Thakur said they had received information about a body lying in Simra Tari Kodasi forest under Kajra police station "but it was found later that it was not that of Abhay Yadav".

But a leaflet was pasted on the body threatening that the other hostages would meet a similar fate.

Meanwhile, Avinash, self-proclaimed spokesman of the Maoists, telephoned media offices here, reiterating his claim of killing Abhay Yadav, the Manikpur Station House Officer, and renewed his readiness for holding talks with the state government for freeing the hostages in exchange for eight of the ultras lodged in different jails in Bihar.

"We know harming anybody is inhuman, but we are left with no options than taking the extreme step... If the government is really interested in talks, it should halt the strike and pave way for initiating talks," Avinash said.

Bihar Chief Minister Nitish Kumar had yesterday offered talks with Maoists.

The arrested Maoists were being looked after by the state government properly, he said, adding "We expect a similar treatment with the policemen".

"The Maoists claim that they have killed one of the hostages, though we are yet to get any evidence of it. But as they have set a deadline of 10:00 am tomorrow, what is the guarantee that they will release the remaining three?" ADG (Hqs) P K Thakur had said after a meeting at the chief minister's official bungalow yesterday.

The Maoists had warned the remaining three hostages would be killed if the state government did not accept their demand.

The rebels had kidnapped sub-inspectors Rupesh Kumar and Abhay Prasad Yadav, BMP havildar Ehtesham Khan and BMP ASI Lucas Tete after the encounter in Kajra police station area on Sunday, which had left eight policemen dead.