The 27th Battalion of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) targeted the camp in Rajnandgaon ' title=' Rajnandgaon '>Rajnandgaon district, close to the Maharashtra border.

A brief battle broke out at around 4 a.m. when the ITBP and Chhattisgarh ' title=' Chhattisgarh '>Chhattisgarh Police reached the jungles of Kohkatoli near the Rajnandgaon-Kanker-Gadchiroli border.

ITBP official Vivek Pandey told IANS: "It is a major success for us as we could demolish a Naxalite camp before they could have settled and carried out any attack. During the encounter, there has been no report of any injury to our security forces."

He said there were chances that some Maoists may have suffered bullet injuries.

The rebels, believed to be 20 to 26, escaped from the site. Seized from the spot were a 303 rifle, two 12 bore rifles, an air gun, a wireless set and other items.

According to an ITBP statement, it is believed that local Maoist commander Sukh Lal was leading the group in the jungle when the encounter broke out.