Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), Apr 4 (IANS): The Maharashtra Police said three Maoists, including two women were shot dead during a gunfight with security forces in the Sirkonda forests of this district, adjoining Chhattisgarh, here on Tuesday.

The gun battle, which lasted for nearly 30 minutes, resulted in the three bullet-ridden bodies being recovered by the C-60 Commando Force of the Anti Naxal Operations (ANO), said a spokesperson.

Two of them were identified as Sunil alias Vilas Kulmethe, 31, a Divisional Commander, and an absconder who carried a Rs 1.60 million reward on his head, Swaroopa alias Amsi Pocha Talandi, an Area Committee Member, and an absconder with a Rs 600,000 reward on her head.

The third woman is yet to be identified, said the official.

The security forces also recovered two rifles, Maoist pamphlets and literature from the site.

This is the first major gunfight by the security forces after its biggest encounter on December 6, 2017, when seven Maoists, including five women were killed.

This year, the security forces have gunned down a total of seven Maoists in the region.