Three women Maoists were gunned down in Orissa's Rayagada district, adjoining Andhra Pradesh, during a joint combing operation by security forces of both the states on Wednesday.
The security personnel launched the joint operation following a tip-off that the ultras were holding a training camp inside the dense forest of Ramnaguda-Mukundpur, about 125 km from here for the past couple of days, a senior police officer said.
In the fierce encounter that followed, the three women, hailing from Srikakulum area of Andhra Pradesh, were gunned down, he said, adding one of them was the wife of a senior Maoist.
Arms and ammunition, including three INSAS rifles, were recovered from the spot and combing operation was still on to nab the other ultras, he said.