Seven persons, including three children, were killed by the breakaway group of People's War led by Sunil Kranti at Barichak village of rural Patna district on Wednesday night, the police said on Thursday.

Director General of Police R R Prasad said the Kranti group swooped on the village and shot dead the seven to "settle some old enmity".

The miscreants managed to escape before police could reach the spot. Senior police officers were camping in the village and efforts were on to nab the culprits.