Kozhikode: Forest officials conducting tiger census in the interior forests of Wayanad, amidst reports of frequent Maoist sightings in the region, fled for safety after hearing a gunshot from close quarters on Thursday. The incident took place at Velleripadam under Mundakai section of the Meppadi forest range at 11.40 am. According to forest officials, the three-member forest team, comprising beat forest officials Anoop Kumar K and K C Vijayan and a forest guard, heard the gunshot when they were climbing down the hillock after finishing the laying of two-km transect line as part of the census. Anoop Kumar said he didn't see any person but heard a gunshot, which could have come from as close as 100 metres. “We were proceeding to the stream when a gun shot erupted from near the stream below. It was a dense forest and we ran back on hearing the gunshot,” he said. Wayanad district police chief K K Balachandran said that a team of Thunderbolt commandos would conduct a search on Friday. “We cannot say whether Maoists are involved but we will search the area,” he said. He said that he received a request from the South Wayanad DFO requesting police protection for the tiger census staff and has directed all DSP’s to provide security on request. South Wayanad DFO P Dhanesh Kumar said that though he had written a letter seeking police protection, they haven't taken any police protection yet as going to the forest with armed escort could affect the outcome of the survey itself. The area where the incident took place borders Malappuram district and is near to the Kumbalappara tribal colony where forest officials conducting tiger census in Nilambur north division reported sighting of a six-member armed group of suspected Maoists.