SIX cadres of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) including two women were killed after an exchange of fire between the ultras and police in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Thursday, police said. Two commandos of the Greyhounds, the elite antiNaxal force of Telangana Police, were also injured in the exchange of fire and were shifted to a hospital and their condition is out of danger, they said. The exchange of fire took place at around 6.45 am in the forest area of Mothe village under Karakagudem police station limits when the armed CPI (Maoist) cadres opened fire indiscriminately on the police party which was on patrol, a release from police said. After warning the Maoist cadres to stop fire and in self-defence, as the firing from the Maoists did not stop, the police party also returned fire. After the firing stopped from CPI (Maoist) armed cadres, the police party searched the area and found six bodies, clad in olive green clothes, it said.

 

The six dead were CPI (Maoist) cadres of Bhadradri KothagudemAlluri Sitharamaraju Divisional Committee, the release said. The identities of the deceased is yet to be established, it said. Based on inputs that a Maoists team crossed over to Telangana from neighbouring Chhattisgarh, specialpolice parties took up combing in the area when the incident happened, a senior police official told PTI. The dead included a senior cadre of the Maoists, he said based on preliminary probe. Police recovered weapons including two AK47, one SLR, one .303 rifle, one pistol and magazines, liverounds,kitbagsandother materials from the spot, hesaid.Furtherinvestigation was on, police added.