Three hardcore Maoists were shot dead in a gunfight between police and the left-wing ultras in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Tuesday, police said.
The bodies of all three insurgents were recovered from the spot as well as a significant amount of arms and explosives, said Inspector General of Police, Bastar, S.R.P. Kalluri and Sukma's Superintendent of Police I.K. Alesela.
They said that the gunfight broke out when a police party on patrol in the Gadiras police station area came under fire from Maoists in position in a forested stretch between Erlapal and Badeshetti villages and retaliated.
The gun battle lasted nearly an hour before the rebels broke off and vanished into the jungle.
Kalluri said that searches in the area afterwards led to the finding of three killed Maoist rebels, all in a uniform. They were identified as DAKMM chief Podiyami Soma, Panchayat Committee chief Podiyami Somda and People's Militia commander Hidma Kalmu.
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Bloodstains around the area indicated that some more rebels had been killed but their colleagues had succeeded in taking away the bodies, as well as those who had been injured, he added.
--IANS
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