Indian gov't forces kill 5 Naxals in Jharkhand

NEW DELHI, April 3 (Xinhua) -- Five Naxals were killed Monday in a gunfight with government forces in the eastern Indian state of Jharkhand, police said.

The gunfight between Naxals and the joint contingents of police and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) broke out in the Lawalong police station area, around 160 km north of Ranchi, the capital city of Jharkhand.

"Today five Naxals were gunned down during a gunfight with police and the CRPF in a forest area near Palamu-Chatra border falling under the jurisdiction of Lawalong police station in Chatra district," a senior police official told media. "The bodies have been recovered."

The government forces, however, have not suffered any damage in the standoff.

According to local media reports, of the five slain Naxals, four were carrying bounties on their heads.

Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India.

India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh once termed the Naxalite movement as India's "greatest internal security challenge."

New Delhi has deployed several companies of its paramilitary forces to take on Naxals in their strongholds.

The insurgency reportedly has claimed hundreds of lives besides rendering thousands of poor inhabitants homeless.