Rajnandgaon (Chhattisgarh), Aug 3 (IANS): Seven Maoists were killed on Saturday in an encounter by the security forces in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon region, near Maharashtra border, police said.

The encounter began at about 8 a.m. and continued till around 5 p.m. Police have recovered an AK 47, one 303 rifle and four muzzle loading guns, Maoist literature and ammunition from the encounter site.

Chhattisgarh Police chief, D.M. Awasthi, said seven Maoists were killed while three police personnel were also injured in the encounter.

Following intelligence inputs, the District Reserve Guard and Chhattisgarh Armed Force personnel were dispatched near hills between Sherpar and Sitagota area. Maoists were taken by surprise and they launched an attack on the police, which made the security forces fire in retaliation.

Earlier this week, seven Maoists, including three women, were killed in Bastar district.

Maoists had set up camps in the jungles, attempting to reassert their authority on an area which was eroding rapidly. Having set up a camp, they began driving villagers away from the area.