3 suspected women Naxalites were killed, while 1 constable was left injured, during a firefight between Maoists and police at GK Veedhi Mandal in Visakhapatnam in the early hours of Friday.
According to reports, the police came across the Naxals camped for the night during routine searches at Cheruvuru under Balapam Panchayat, an agency area. Reports suggest that the Naxals opened fire when asked to surrender, leaving the police no option but to fire back.
More than a dozen kitbags were found near the site of the encounter.
The injured Armed Reserved constable was airlifted in a helicopter to a corporate hospital in Visakhapatnam for treatment.
Police are trying to establish the identity of the slain Naxalites.