India, Feb. 20 -- Four female Maoists, including a commander and an area committee member from the Communist Party of India (Maoists), carrying a combined bounty of over Rs.60 lakh, were killed on Wednesday in a police encounter in Balaghat's Ronda forest, Madhya Pradesh, police said.

An officer said that the four deceased include Asha from Sukma, a commander of the Bhoramdev Area committee, who had a reward of Rs.20 lakh. The other three were Sheela alias Sarita from Kondagaon, and Ranjita and Lakhkhe Maravi, both from Sukma, with each carrying a reward of Rs.14 lakh.

A search operation is underway in the forest after bloodstains were found, indicating that several of the 25 Maoists involved in the gunfight may have been injured, said ...