A joint team of district police, STF and CRPF, which was carrying out a search operation, was fired at by some Maoists when they reached the forest area in Pusnar village under Gangalur police station limits in Bijapur, SP Prashant Agarwal said.
In retaliation, police fired at the ultras who fled.
Later, while combing the area, police found the body of a Naxal leader. A loaded gun and other items were recovered from there, Agarwal said.