Both were carrying rewards on their heads
Raipur: The police shot dead two Maoists, including a woman, in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh on Monday morning, official sources.
Both the Maoists identified as Makdam Erra and Makdam Bhime were carrying rewards of Rs 8 lakh and Rs 3 lakh respectively on their heads, official sources said, adding that a search operation was under way in nearby areas.
Erra was the commander of Gollapalli Local Organisation Squad and Bhime the deputy commander.
On April 27, Maoists killed 11 members of a security team by using booby trap in Dantewada district of the state. Immediately after the incident, the security forces launched a search operation in Maoist-infested areas of Chhattisgarh.
The Maoists blew up a minivan carrying the security forces. It has been the worst attack since 2021.
After the shooting dead two Maoists on Monday morning, the policemen recovered a huge cache of explosives and an automatic weapon from the encounter site, official sources said.
The gunfight between the security forces and the Maoists took place near Danteshpuram village under Bheji police station.
The Maoists fired at a team of the district reserve guard which was carrying out an anti-Maoist operation, sources further said.
No sooner had the Maoists opened fire on the security forces than the cops returned the fire and a fierce gunbattle erupted, which continued for more than two hours.
Nevertheless, when the guns of Maoists fell silent, the policemen reached the spot and found two bodies lying at the site.
