Four Naxalites belonging to the outlawed People's War Group were killed in an encounter with the police in Cuddapah district in Andhra Pradesh on Friday.

The dead included a woman, whom the police believe to be Bharatakka, district committee secretary of the outfit.

Police spokesman Shujath Ali told rediff.com that the exchange of fire took place around 1100 IST on Friday in the forest area of Sakhibanda in Chinnamandem mandal, about 465kms south of Hyderabad.

A special police party, on spotting the extremists, asked them to surrender. The naxalites fired in return and four of them were killed in the ensuing fire. An AK-47 assault rifle and a .303 rifle were recovered from the encounter site.

The other Naxalites who were killed belonged to Cheramandali dalam (armed squad) of the banned outfit. This squad was involved in the killing of a ruling Telugu Desam Party local functionary in Rayachoti town two days ago.