Four Naxalites including 3 women killed in encounter with police in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district

Balaghat: Four Naxalites including three women were killed on Wednesday in an encounter with the police in Madhya Pradesh's Balaghat district, an official said.

The anti-Naxal Hawk Force of the state police and local police teams took part in the operation that took place in a forested area, said additional superintendent of police Vijay Dabar.

Balaghat shares borders with Gondia district of Maharashtra and Rajnandgaon, Khairagarh and Kawardha of Chhattisgarh.

The gun battle broke out in the morning, at a location some 90 km away from the district headquarters, Dabar told PTI.

The spot is near Ronda Forest Camp in Supkhar Forest Range under Garhi police station area, as per an official statement. Identity of the slain Naxalites was yet to be ascertained, officials said.

Police recovered an INSAS rifle, a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR) and a .303 rifle besides essential daily-use items from the spot.

Twelve police teams were carrying out a combing operation to track down the Naxalites who escaped into the forest, officials said.