Four Naxalites, carrying a collective bounty of Rs 36 lakh, were killed in an encounter with police in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district on Tuesday, a senior official said.
The police received information on Monday afternoon that some Naxalites had entered Gadchiroli from neighbouring Telangana by crossing the Pranhita river with an aim to carry out subversive activities amid the model code of conduct in place for the upcoming Lok Sabha elections, Superintendent of Police Neelotpal said.
Multiple teams of C-60, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, and the Central Reserve Police Force's Quick Action team were sent for a search in the area.
While one of the C-60 unit teams was conducting a search on Tuesday morning in the Kolamarka mountains near Repanpalli, Naxalites fired at them indiscriminately to which the security personnel retaliated, the official said.
After the firing stopped, the area was searched and bodies of four male Naxalites were found, he said, adding that they were carrying a collective cash reward of Rs 36 lakh on their heads.
An AK-47 gun, a carbine, two country-made pistols, Naxal literature and other items were also recovered, the official said.
The deceased Naxalites have been identified as Vargeesh, Magtu, both secretaries of different Naxal comittees, and platoon members Kursang Raju and Kudimetta Venkatesh, the police said.
