PALAKKAD: An exchange of fire between police and Maoists is suspected again at the Manjakandi forests in Palakkad. Gun shots were heard from the forest. The inquest on the bodies of the Maoists killed yesterday has been started.

Three Maoists including a woman was killed in a gunbattle between the thunderbolts and Maoists yesterday morning. Sreemathi, native of Karnataka, A S Suresh and Karthi, natives of Tamil Nadu were those killed yesterday.

Thunderbolt commandos are engaged in search operations in the forests. There were reports that some of the Maoists have fled into the forests during the gunbattle.

Police, medical and forensic teams have gone to the forests to conduct the inquest on the dead. A forensic official and a local who accompanied him heard the gun shots from the forests.