Five Maoists killed in encounter in Orissa

Five Maoists, including four women, were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces in a forest in Orissa's Jajpur district today.

The Maoists fired on a joint team of the Special Operations Group (SOG) and state police when they were combing the dense Raighati forest, about 95km from here in the early hours, superintendent of police, DS Kuttey said.

The SOG fired back, leading to a six-hour gunbattle in which the five Maoists were killed, he said.

Five bodies were found after the encounter, he said, adding, there was no casualty or injury among security men.

The slain Maoists, aged between 22 and 35 years, were dressed in fatigues, the SP said.

Altogether 12 rifles, including a SLR, ammunition, Maoist posters, leaflets and booklets were seized from the encounter site, he said.

The forest was combed after the encounter.