New Delhi, Aug 21 (IANS): Two Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) personnel were killed in an encounter with Maoists near Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh on Friday, force officials said.

According to the ITBP, the exchange of fire took place at Kademeta (Narayanpur), a bordering area of Dantwada, when one company of the 45th Battalion was out on an area domination operation.

The force personnel were fired upon by a small action team of Maoists when it was approximately 600m away from the camp at around 12.30 p.m.

"In the exchange of fire, Assistant Commandant Sudhakar Shinde and ASI Gurumukh Singh were martyred," an ITBP official said.

Following the attack, the Maosists escaped with one AK-47 rifle, two bullet-proof jackets and one wireless set, the local police said.

Kademeta is located 56 km south of Narayanpur and barely 1 km from the ITBP camp.

Chhattisgarh has witnessed several incidents of Maoist attacks on security personnel this year.

On July 20, an ITBP personnel was killed while another was injured in a Maoist ambush in Narayanpur.

In March, five District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel were killed and several others were injured in an IED blast in Narayanpur. According to the police, the Maoists had targeted a bus carrying more than 20 security personnel.