4 women among 8 Maoists gunned down in Chhatisgarh

Eight Maoists, including four women, were shot dead on Thursday in an encounter with security forces in an area adjoing the border of Dantewada-Bijapur districts in Chhattisgarh, an official said. Several sophisticated firearms were recovered from them.

Confirming the incident, Inspector General of Police - Bastar Range, Vivekanand Sinha said patrolling and search operations in the area have been intensified ahead of the President's visit to Dantewada on July 25 in connection with a programme.

During a search operation in the Timenar forests, the police and the Maoists had an exchange of fire around 6.30 a.m, he said.

"A joint team of Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard was patrolling the Bailadila hills in Dantewada district. As the patrol party reached Timenar forests along the Dantewada-Bijapur border, Maoists started indiscriminate firing on them," Sinha said.

In response, the forces also fired back, killing eight of the outlaws, including four woman Moists, he added.

Additional police forces were rushed to the site -- around 450 km from the state capital Raipur -- as the gunbattle started.

Eight high-tech weapons, including two INSAS rifles, two .303 rifles, two .315 rifles, a pen gun and a 12-bore gun were recovered from their possession.

Bodies of all the eight killed Maoists have been recovered, but their identification is still awaited, the officer said. - IANS