Chhattisgarh: 6 Maoists Gunned Down in Bastar, Automatic Weapons Recovered, Encounter Still Underway

Raipur: At least six Maoists were on Friday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Abujhmad under Narayanpur district in south Bastar of Chhattisgarh.

The encounter began in the afternoon and was still underway, police said.

“So far, during the search operation, bodies of six Maoists have been recovered at the encounter site along with a huge cache of weapons including AK 47 and SLR rifles and explosives”, Bastar range inspector general of police Sunderraj P told this newspaper.

The recovery of automatic weapons such as AK 47 and SLR indicates that there is possibility of some senior cadres being slain in the encounter, he said.

But it could be ascertained only after identifications of the deceased Maoists are established, he added.

“As the operation is still in progress, further details cannot be shared at this moment in order to ensure the safety and the tactical advantage of the security forces on the ground”, he said.

Based on the specific intelligence inputs on the presence of the armed Naxals in Abujhmad, a joint team of district reserve guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) and Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) launched a search operation in the region, police said.

The joint search party came under attack by the Maoists in the afternoon leading to fierce exchanges of fire between them.

Abujhmad, loosely translated in English as ‘unknown area’, is a 4,000 sq km hilly and forested region extending from the southern part of Bastar in Chhattisgarh to Gadchiroli in Maharashtra.

This is the only region in the country which is yet to be surveyed by the Government of India.

Top Maoists are said to have found the region as their safe haven.

CPI (Maoist) general secretary Basavaraj (BR) was killed in an encounter in Abujhmad under Narayanpur district on May 21.