Mangalore: The police and the anti-Naxal force have launched search operations in the forests around Kukke Subramanya after a group of six people, said to be Maoists, was spotted on Friday.

According to the police, the forest officials spotted the group, including two women, sporting country-made rifles in the Kadamakallu reserved forest. One of the men asked the three forest officials, who were in civilian dress, who they were in Kannada, before setting off into the forest.

With the group sporting guns and wearing what seemed like a uniform, police sources said that this may be the same group that was spotted in late 2012 in the district.

The anti-Naxal force has begun combing operations in Balugodu and Subramanya.