Bhopal: Seven suspected Maoists were on Tuesday gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in Naxal-stronghold Abujhmad in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Narayanpur.
According to a police officer, a joint search party comprising district reserve group and special task force personnel was ambushed by Maoists’ military coy at Puspal under Barsur police station leading to a fierce gun battle between them. The face-off lasted around two hours. The rebels retreated to nearby jungle after they suffered reverses.
Security forces later recovered bodies of seven Naxals in Maoist fatigue and some weapons from the encounter site. Bodies of the deceased Maoists were yet to be identified. Weapons recovered included 2 Insas assault rifles and four country made guns.
“Recovery of Insas rifles has indicated that the deceased may include commander ranking rebels, who only qualify to carry such sophisticated weapons in the cadre,” a senior police officer posted in Bastar said.
