Two women Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces during a late-night operation in the dense forests of Abhujmaad in Narayanpur district, police confirmed on Thursday.

The gunfight erupted on Wednesday evening when a joint team from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) launched a combing operation based on intelligence inputs about Maoist presence in the area under Kohkameta police station limits.

According to officials, the operation was targeting senior cadres of the Maad division of the Maoists. “So far, we have recovered the bodies of two women Naxalites, an INSAS rifle, and a .315 bore rifle from the site,” said a senior police officer.

The anti-Naxal operation is still ongoing, with teams continuing their search across the region.