Koraput: The number of rebel causalities in the exchange of fire that took place between a district voluntary force team and a group of armed Maoists here on Sunday night touched four after security personnel recovered the body of a woman cadre on Monday morning.

"We recovered the bodies of three women Maoists on Sunday night. This morning, our men spotted another body while combing the spot. All the deceased belonged to Chhattisgarh," said Koraput superintendent of police Kanwar Vishal Singh.

He said one of the deceased Maoists was identified as Ungi alias Harati, who carried a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh and was an area committee member. Two others were identified as Kumari and Ranjeeta.

"The identity of the fourth Maoist is yet to be established," Singh said.

Based on intelligence inputs that a Maoist camp was functioning near Dokri Ghati in Narayanpatna police limits, a district voluntary force team, under the direct supervision of Singh, launched an operation in the area on Sunday morning.

"Our men spotted the camp around 7pm. The Maoists fired at us when they saw us and we retaliated. The exchange of fire continued for an hour before the Maoists fled from the spot," Singh said.

The security personnel recovered a huge cache of weapons, including four SLR guns, an INSAS rifle, one .303 rifle, 169 rounds of live bullets, four detonators and 20 metres of copper wire, Maoist uniforms among others.

Intelligence sources said the camp was meant to train new recruits organised under Aruna.

"There were around 30 Maoists in the camp that included few women cadres who were posted as sentries. However, Aruna narrowly escaped from the spot," said an intelligence officer.

The police said they suspect that they camp was organised to recruit new members and boost the morale of cadres as the Maoists were in the back foot at Narayanpatna following intensive combing operations.