2 Maoists killed in police encounter in Kerala

MALAPPURAM: Two Maoists were killed in a police encounter in Kerala's Malappuram district. A source said a special team of the police and Maoists began exchanging fire at a place called Nilambur in the district. State DGP Loknath Behra said, "It was a motivated action by the police." One of those killed has been identified as a Central Committee Member of CPI (Maoist) Kuppu Swamy, a native of Karnataka state. The second Maoist killed is a woman named Ajitha. However, unidentified reports say a third person was also killed and is yet to be identified. No casualty to police was reported.