At least seven Maoists, including two female members, have been killed in an ongoing encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district on Tuesday, officials said.
The Maoists were 400-500 fighters strong, including 200 from one of their most dangerous battalions the Battalion 1 of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) headed by their new chief Barse Deva officials said.
The incident took place around 5.30 pm in a forest area near a hill between Tumkapal village and Dabakunna village, around 50 km from Dantewada headquarters.
The gunfight took place around 7:30 am on Saturday in Pomra forest when joint teams of security forces were out on an anti-Maoist operation, inspector general of police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj said.