Seven Naxals were killed and a policeman sustained serious injuries in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district on Monday.

Security forces gunned down seven Naxals in the jungles of Tetemdagu village, about 18 km from Kistaram town, in the district, Dantewada SP Amresh Kumar Mishra said, adding that a policeman was also seriously injured in the ambush.

Naxals opened fire at the team comprising police, special officers and personnel of Chhattisgarh Armed Forces, when it was returning after a three-day anti-Naxal operation. In the retaliatory action, the rebels were killed, he said.

Three rifles and a landmine were recovered from the spot, the SP said.

A helicopter had been pressed into service to airlift the injured policeman from the place of incident, Mishra said.