Media: three policemen were killed in a clash with Maoist militants in India

Three policemen were killed and 14 were injured in an armed clash with Maoist militants in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, NDTV reported.

The extremists opened fire on law enforcement officers conducting raids in several settlements within the state. There are no reports of casualties among the militants.

Maoists, also called Naxalites in India, have been carrying out armed incursions in the country since the 1960s. They promote their own version of Maoism and Marxism-Leninism and are currently active in 14 of India's 28 states. The Naxalites say they intend to liberate the poor peasans from “capitalist oppression” and often receive support from the local population. They hide in the jungle and attack villages, officials and police. Several years ago, the Maoists promised to create “capitalist-free” zones in the “red corridor” from Nepal to South India. New Delhi considers the Maoists one of the main internal threats.