Kolkata, Aug 12 - Security forces opened fire at suspected Maoist rebels in West Bengal's troubled Lalgarh Wednesday afternoon and the gunbattle continued for over an hour in the forested area, police said.

'Yes, there was an incident of heavy firing between the joint security forces and the Maoist rebels in Bhulabheda forest area of West Midnapore district today,' Kuldeep Singh, state Inspector General (Western Range) of Police, told IANS.

He said such incidents were occurring in and around Lalgarh almost every day. 'No casualty has been reported on the part of security forces in today's firing,' Singh said.

The state government launched a massive security operation June 18 along with central paramilitary troopers and state armed police personnel to free the area of Maoist rebels who had virtually made Lalgarh a 'free zone' since November by torching police camps, killing activists of the ruling Communist Party of India-Marxist (CPI-M) and driving out the civil administration.

Maoists are active in the state's three western districts of West Midnapore, Bankura and Purulia.