Bhubaneswar, May 9 (IANS): Three Maoists were gunned down by security forces during an exchange of fire in a forest area of Odisha's Kalahandi district. A DSP rank police official also sustained bullet injury in the gunfight, a police official said.

The encounter took place in the Taperenga-Lubengad forest under Madanpur-Rampur police station of Kalahandi district.

Briefing media persons here, DGP Sunil Bansal said, "An exchange of fire was reported from M. Rampur police station area. We have recovered dead bodies of three Maoists. From the seizure of one AK-47 shows that they might be senior Maoist cadres."

One police official has also sustained bullet injury in the exchange of fire, but he is out of danger, Bansal said, adding, "We are evacuating him to Bhubaneswar for better treatment."

Further search operations are going on in the area. The DGP once again appealed to the Naxals to shun violence activities and join the mainstream of society.