By IANS,
Hyderabad : Four Maoist rebels including three women were shot dead in a major gun battle Friday with the police in Andhra Pradesh, police said.
The exchange of fire took place in the forest area in Visakhapatnam district, about 600 km from Hyderabad.
A police party engaged in combing operations in the area suddenly came face to face with a group of Maoists near Cheruvuru in Chintapalli mandal. The Maoists started firing when they were asked to surrender, police said
Police returned fire killing four guerrillas belonging to the outlawed Communist Party of India-Maoist.
Sub-inspector of police Mohan Reddy was also injured in the gunfight and he was airlifted to the coastal city of Visakhapatnam and admitted to a hospital.
Additional police forces rushed to the forest areas and launched combing operations for the Maoists who escaped. Police believe they include some top Maoist leaders.
According to Deputy Inspector General of Police Soumya Mishra, there were about 70 Maoists spotted in the forests. Police recovered 40 kitbags and three weapons from the scene of the gun battle.
Visakhapatnam, Vijayanagaram and Srikakulam districts bordering Orissa have a significant Maoist presence. In other parts of Andhra Pradesh, a former stronghold of Maoists, the CPI-Maoist suffered huge setbacks with the killing of their top cadres by police during the last four years.