Three CRPF personnel donated blood to help save the life of a woman Naxal, who was shot during an encounter in West Singhbhum district on February 14, a senior police officer said.

Superintendent of Police Chandan Kumar Jha said police had received specific information that around 24 Maoists, led by Kande Honhaga, the self-styled sub-zonal commander of the ultra group, had assembled to execute a "plan".

A team of security forces pooled from 174 and 60 battalions of the CRPF and the district police, headed by Additional Superintendent of Police (Ops) Manish Raman, rushed to the spot between Muffasil and Goilkera police stations of the district.

Not heeding the security forces' call for surrender, the Maoists triggered a landmine blast and started firing, Jha said.

The security personnel surrounded the jungle from two sides but the Maoists kept firing at them, forcing a retaliation.

The Naxals made a hasty retreat, buckling under pressure, he said.

The security personnel then spotted a profusely bleeding woman during a search operation launched by them.

She had suffered a bullet wound on her left leg, he said, adding that she was rushed to Sonua Primary Health Centre before being shifted to Sadar Hospital, Chaibasa. The woman was later referred to M G M Hospital here for better treatment.

Raman said ASI Pankaj Sharma, Head Constable Bichitra Kumar Swain and Constable Birbahadur Yadav donated blood to help save her life.

In course of the search operation, the security personnel demolished a Naxal camp in the jungle and destroyed a large quantity of explosive materials, Jha said.

The police also seized 57 rounds of live cartridges of different bore, including 30, from the injured woman.

She told the police that around 25 Naxals led by Honhaga had gathered in the jungle to execute some plan and had taken her rifle away before escaping, he said.