A woman who was killed and another who sustained injuries in an encounter between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday were later identified as civilians, police said.
Earlier it was suspected that the two women were Naxals, but later it was found they had no links with ultras and that they were local villagers, Sukma's Superintendent of Police Jitendra Shukla told PTI on Sunday.
"Investigation revealed that both the women were residents of Godelguda village and not Naxal cadres. They were caught in the crossfire between security personnel and ultras while they had gone to a forest for some routine work," he said.
An inquiry has been initiated into the incident. The kin of the victims will be provided necessary assistance by the district administration and police, he said.
When a joint squad of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and local police was returning from an area domination operation, around six-seven armed Naxals, dressed as civilians, fired at them in Rengaiguda area leading to the gun battle, he said.
After guns fell silent, security forces found an injured woman at the spot following which she was rushed to CRPF's field hospital in Dornapal, he said.
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The woman, however, succumbed during treatment at the hospital, Shukla said.
Meanwhile, the patrolling team saw some villagers carrying another injured woman to the nearby Puswada village.
The security forces then took her also to CRPF's hospital at Dornapal. She was later shifted to the Sukma district hospital where her condition was reported to be out of danger, the police official said.
During a search of the spot, one muzzle loading gun, a bag containing cash Rs 9,058 cash, cordex wires, couple of electronic detonators and gelatin sticks along with other Maoist-related material were recovered, he said.