A Naxal was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Sunday morning, an official said.
The gunfight took place around 6.45 am in a forest near Thimmapuram village under Chintalnar police station limits when a joint team of different security forces was out on patrolling duty, Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma said.
Personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard and the 201st battalion of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite unit of the CRPF, were involved in the operation to ensure security for the ongoing road construction works in interior areas, he said.
A group of armed ultras opened fire on the patrolling team near Thimmapuram, located over 450 km from the state capital Raipur, leading the gun-battle, he said.
After the exchange of fire stopped, the body of a male Naxal clad in 'uniform' and firearms were recovered from the spot, he said.
When the patrolling team was withdrawing from the forest, an exchange of fire broke out again, the official said, adding that intermittent firing was still underway in the area.
With this action, seven ultras have been killed in five separate encounters between security forces and Naxals in the state's Bastar region in the last two weeks, according to police.