At least 12 suspected Maoists were killed in an operation conducted by security forces in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Wednesday, reported The Times of India.

Two personnel also sustained injuries during the exchange of fire between the two sides at the Wandoli village at the Chhattisgarh border, according to Deccan Herald.

Security forces launched an operation against the banned Maoist group People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army at around 10 am. A total of 200 police commandos led by the C60 elite commando unit of the Anti-Naxalite Operations were airdropped into the dense Wandoli forests.

“A heavy exchange of fire started in the afternoon and continued intermittently till late evening for more than six hours,” Gadchiroli’s Superintendent of Police Nilotpal was quoted by Deccan Herald as saying.

Among those who were killed was Laxman Atram, a top leader of the group in the area. Sarita Parsa, a woman Maoist leader, was also killed in the operation.

Nilotpal said that the police recovered three AK47 rifles, two Indian Small Arms System rifles, one carbine, and one self-loading rifle from the suspected Maoists.

“One Sub-Inspector of C60 and one jawan have suffered bullet injuries,” he said. “They are out of danger, have been evacuated, and have been shifted to Nagpur.”

This was reportedly one of the biggest anti-Naxal operations in the state in recent years and came on a day when both Deputy Chief Ministers of the state – Devendra Fadnavis and Ajit Pawar – were in Gadchiroli for the foundation laying ceremony of a Rs 10,000 crore steel project.