Seven alleged Maoists, including two women, were killed in a gunfight with security forces on Tuesday along the border of Kanker and Narayanpur districts in Chhattisgarh, the Hindustan Times reported.

The gunfight started around 6 am between Tekmeta and Kaakur villages in the Abhujmad area, said Sunderaj P, inspector-general of police, Bastar range.

“A joint team of the district reserve guard and Special Task Force was out on an anti-Naxal operation on Monday night after specific input of senior Maoists in the forest,” he said. “As soon as they reached Kankur village, the exchange of fire started.”

Sunderaj said that the bodies of the alleged Maoists were recovered from the spot after the firing stopped.

An AK-47 rifle, other weapons and explosives were also seized from the spot. “We have launched a search operation and identity of the Maoists are yet to be ascertained,” said Sunderaj.

Since the beginning of the year, 88 alleged Maoists have been killed in gunfights with security forces in the state’s Bastar division, according to the Hindustan Times.

The Bastar division comprises Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Bijapur and Sukma districts.

In the Kanker district, 29 alleged Maoists were killed and three security personnel injured in a gunfight on April 16.