12 Naxalites, 3 Jawans Killed in Encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur
The gun battle took place in a forest of the Gangaloor area adjoining Dantewada district when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a police official said
Raipur: At least 12 Maoists were on Wednesday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in a forest in Bijapur district under south Bastar in Chhattisgarh.
Three jawans were also slain and two others injured in the incident.
The encounter was still underway till the last reports came.
“Dead bodies of 12 Maoists have so far been recovered. The encounter is still going on”, Bastar range inspector general of police P Sunderraj told this newspaper.
More casualties among the Naxals is not ruled out, the police said.
Huge cache of weapons including automatic rifles such as SLR and .303 rifles along with large quantities of explosives was recovered at the encounter site.
The recovery of automatic weapons suggested that several senior Maoists may be among the slain Naxals, a senior police officer said.
“A decisive anti-Naxal operation is ongoing in the West Bastar Division area along the Bijapur-Dantewada inter-district border”, Mr. Sunderraj said.
According to Bijapur district superintendent of police Dr Jitendra Yadav, a joint search operation involving personnel of district reserve guard (DRG), special task force (STF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the elite anti-Naxal wing of CRPF, was launched in the area following intelligence tip off on the presence of armed Naxals in the forested region.
Security forces came under attack in a forest along Bijapur- Dantewada interdistrict border at around nine am leading to an encounter.
Three jawans of DRG, identified as head constable Manu Vadadi, constable Dukaru Gonde and jawan Ramesh Sodi, were killed in the encounter, while two other cops were injured.
The injured jawans were, however, out of danger, police said.
The identity of slain Maoists was yet to be identified, police said.
Additional reinforcement teams have been deployed and the area has been cordoned off for further search, Mr. Yadav said.
“Since the search operation is still in progress, detailed information cannot be shared at this stage. Details will be shared after completion of the operation”, Mr. Sunderraj said.