India : At least eight suspected Maoists, including five women, were shot dead in an encounter with security forces in a forest near the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border early Tuesday morning.

At least eight suspected Maoists, including five women, were shot dead in an encounter with security forces in a forest near the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border early Tuesday morning.

Security personnel of CRPF, Chattisgarh Police, and Greyhounds of Telangana Police were conducting combing operations in the area based on a tip-off about a Maoist meeting when the encounter took place with the Maoists who are suspected to be from the Venkatapuram Area Committee of Bhadrachalam in Khammam district. Secretary of the Venkatapuram Area Committee Lachchanna is suspected to have been killed in the encounter.

Greyhounds Police officials said that eight persons including five women were killed but they could not confirm if one of them was Lachchanna. Another wanted Maoist leader, Telangana State Secretary Hari Bhushan alias Hari Kishan is also suspected to have been either injured or killed. Police recovered an AK 47 rifle, several .303 rifles and some small arms and ammunition from the site.