Gadchiroli | At least 12 Naxalites were killed and two security personnel injured in an encounter with police and commandos in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra near the Chhattisgarh border on Wednesday, officials said.

The heavy exchange of fire broke out in the afternoon between C60 commandos and Naxals in Wandoli village and continued for six hours, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Nilotpal said.

Police have recovered 12 bodies of Maoists from the spot besides seven automotive weapons, including 3 AK-47s, 2 INSAS rifles, a carbine and an SLR, he said.

One of the slain Naxals was identified as DVCM Laxman Atram alias Vishal Atram, incharge of Tipagad Dalam.

Maharashtra Home Minister Devendra Fadnavis has declared a Rs 51 lakh reward for C60 commando teams and Gadchiroli Police, Nilotpal said.

Further identification of Maoists and area search is continuing.

"The injured persons include a sub-inspector of C 60 and one jawan. They are out of danger, evacuated from the spot, and shifted to Nagpur," the SP added.

Encounter takes place between security forces, Maoists in Jharkhand

Chaibasa (Jharkhand) | A fierce encounter took place between security personnel and the squad of wanted Maoist Misir Besra in Jharkhand's West Singhbhum district on Wednesday, police said.

The encounter took place early in the morning in a forest near Dalaigada village in Chotanagra police station area.

Security forces had launched a massive search operation in forest areas under Chotanagra and Manoharpur police stations on July 14 after receiving inputs about the movement of top Maoists including Misir Besra, who carries a reward of Rs 1 crore on his head, Superintendent of Police Ashutosh Shekhar said.

"The encounter took place with the squad of Misir Besra, who was in the vicinity during the gunfight," he said.

In the course of the operation, the red rebels opened fire at an approaching police team in Dalaigada forest around 5.50 am, prompting them to retaliate, he said.

The exchange of fire continued before the Maoists made a hasty retreat, the SP said.

Arms and ammunition, including an SLR, three magazines, a .303 rifle, a 9mm pistol, 174 cartridges of SLR, 34 detonators and a laptop, among other items.