A team of District Reserve Guard or DRG were out on an anti-Maoist operation (Representational Image)

Seven Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district on Saturday, the police said. A soldier of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was also injured in the gun battle, they said.

The exchange of fire took place around 7 am in the forest near Sitagota-Serpar villages under the Baghnadi police station. A joint team of DRG and the local police was out on an counter-insurgency operation, Deputy Inspector General (anti-Naxal operations) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI.

Acting on a specific input about movement of the Maoists, security forces launched the operation on Friday night in Baghnadi area along the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border, he said.

"When the patrolling team was advancing through the forest of Sitagota-Serpar, located around 150 kms away from capital Raipur, a big group of armed Naxals opened indiscriminate fire on them, leading to the gun battle," he said.

"During the search, bodies of seven ultras, including five women, were recovered from the spot," he said.

"A DRG jawan, identified as Asaram, sustained splinter injuries in the gunfight," the DIG said, adding he was admitted to a local hospital. He is said to be stable."