An encounter broke out between the police and Naxalites in the Sheetalkorani hills in Lakhisarai district of Bihar on Sunday and police sources at the encounter spot told TheHindu that at least five State Auxiliary Police (SAP) personnel were killed.
The sources said it was hard to estimate the number of rebels killed as their bodies could be taken away by their comrades.
Director-General of Police Neelmani said the area was cordoned off.
In the afternoon, on a tip-off about the presence of Naxalites in the hills, a team, comprising 22 Bihar Military Police (BMP) personnel, 20 SAP personnel and three officers, raided the area, 10 km from the Kajra police station.
ADG (Headquarters) P.K. Thakur said senior police officers, including the IG (Operations) and the ADG (BMP), had gone to the spot along with reinforcements.
