A woman Naxal was killed in an encounter with security forces in the insurgency- hit Sukma district on Tuesday morning, police said.
The skirmish took place around 6 am at a forest near Dabbakonta village when a joint team of security forces was out on a counter-insurgency operation, Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P said.
Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA-an elite unit of CRPF), Special Task Force and District Reserve Guard executed the operation, he said.
On spotting a Maoist camp in the forest near Dabbakonta village, located around 500 km from the state capital Raipur, the security men started encircling it.
An exchange of fire then broke out between the two sides and the rebels soon escaped into the dense forest, the DIG said.
Later, during the search of encounter spot, body of a woman Naxal clad in 'uniform' and an INSAS rifle were recovered, he said.
She was identified as Kuram Bhime resident of Gaganpalli, Sukma. She was Section Commander of Maoist company number-2 of PLGA (People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army) battalion number-1 headed by Hidma. She carried a cash reward of Rs 8 Lakh on her head, the DIG added.
"Blood stains were found at the spot, indicating that some more ultras might have been injured or killed in the gun battle," the official said.
Some items of daily use and a huge cache of Naxal-related materials were also seized from their camp, he said.