BHUBANESWAR: Three Maoists, including a woman cadre, have been killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Odisha's Kandhamal district, police said on Thursday.

The gunfight took place in Gumma forest in the Belghar police station area on Wednesday night.

The two male Naxals were identified as CPI(Maoist)'s area committee member Bari alias Rakesh, and Dalam member Amrit, both from Chhattisgarh, a senior police officer said, adding they carried a cumulative bounty of Rs 23.65 lakh on their heads.

The body of another woman cadre was recovered close to the encounter site on Thursday morning, the officer said, adding she is yet to be identified.

Acting on a tip-off, a small mobile team of SOG (Special Operations Group) of Odisha Police launched a combing operation in the forest, when they encountered the Maoists.