Mumbai: Fourteen far-left radical communists, also known as Naxals in India, were killed in an encounter with the police in western Indian state of Maharashtra on Sunday, a senior official said.

He said a team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation in Gadchiroli district.

"Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. Combing operations are still on," Sharad Shelar, Inspector General of Police, said.

He said the combing operation, which started in the morning, was currently underway at Tadgaon forest in Bhamragad, around 750 kilometres from here.

The official said that two district-level "commanders"of the proscribed outfit, identified as Sainath and Sainyu, were among those killed in the encounter.

Director General of Police Satish Mathur congratulated the C-60 team which participated in the encounter.

"This is a major operation against Naxals in recent times," Mathur told PTI.