Hyderabad: Three women naxals, including Lalithakka, district commander of banned naxal outfit People's War Group (PWG), were killed in an hour-long encounter with a special police party on the banks of Pranahita river at Gandipalli in Adilabad district of Andhra Pradesh on May 14.

The other two women naxals, Padmakka, commander of Kotapalli LGS and Geetakka, Lalithakka's gunwoman, were also killed in the encounter, state director general of police (DGP) P Ramulu said, adding that five male naxals managed to flee away from the spot.

The police party was pursuing the naxals for the last three days and subsequently traced them. The naxals were asked to surrender, but they opened fire and in the retaliatory firing, three of them were killed, Ramulu said in a release.

Carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh, Lalitha was instrumental in gunning down of a police inspector in an open court in Srikakulam district and was also involved in a number of murders, rioting, abduction and extortion incidents, he said.

The police also recovered one AK 47, a 303 rifle, two DBBI guns, Rs 10,000 cash and eight kitbags from the scene of encounter.

PTI