Four Maoist guerrillas killed by security forces in India

Oct 25, 2009, 10:19 GMT

New Delhi - At least four Maoist rebels were killed in separate gun-battles with security forces in India's eastern Jharkhand and central Chhattisgarh states, news reports said Sunday.

Police said three Maoist militants were killed in combat with a joint paramilitary-police team on the outskirts of Jharkhand capital Ranchi late Saturday, the IANS news agency reported.

Police had launched a search operation in an area called Jonha following an intelligence tip-off.

'Maoist rebels were in two vehicles. When the police tried to stop them, they started firing. In the gun-battle, three Maoist guerrillas were killed,' a police officer told the news agency.

Police said three rifles, hand grenades and other weapons were recovered from the slain rebels.

Another Maoist militant was killed in a gunbattle that broke out between police and the rebels in a thickly forested area in Chhattisgarh's southern Bijapur district Saturday evening, the NDTV network reported.

The fierce encounter was continuing on Sunday and police suspected that at least 30 Maoist militants were hiding in the forests.

Prime Minister Manmohan Singh recently said left-wing extremism posed the greatest internal security threat for India.

Maoist guerrillas, who say they are leading an armed rebellion to secure the rights of the poor and marginalized, operate in 20 of India's 28 states.

They usually target security personnel and government installations and officials.

At least 2,671 people - including civilians, security personnel and rebels - have been killed in incidents related to Maoist violence in India since 2006, according to Home Ministry data.