NEW DELHI, Feb. 19 (Xinhua) -- Three women Naxals were killed Wednesday in a fierce gunfight with government forces in the central Indian state of Madhya Pradesh, police said.
The gunfight between the Naxals and the joint contingents of police and paramilitary broke out in the forests of Supkhar in the Garhi area of Balaghat district, about 480 km east of Bhopal, the capital city of Madhya Pradesh.
"Today police contingents initiated a search operation in Supkhar forest range falling under Garhi police station area. During this, a gunfight broke out between the police teams and Naxals present in the area," a police official said.
The official added that the three Naxals were "neutralized" in the stand-off, and the government forces have not suffered any damage.
Reports said some Naxalites were wounded in the gunfight but managed to escape.
The police also claimed recovery of three assault rifles and some ammunition from the slain Naxals.
Last week 31 Naxals and two policemen were killed in a fierce gunfight with government forces in the adjacent Chhattisgarh state. The killings were a major blow to the Naxals operating in the state.
Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India. ■
