NEW DELHI: Seven
Naxalites
were killed in an
encounter
with the
security personnel
on Thursday in the border area of
Bijapur district
in Chhatisgarh.
The joint team of security personnel was engaged in an anti-Naxal operation when the encounter took place. SP Prabhat Kumar confirmed that seven Naxalites in ‘Maoist uniform’ had been gunned down so far, PTI reported.
The operation was started based on intelligence about the presence of cadres from the Maoists’ Indravati Area Committee and Platoon No.
16. Personnel from various state police units, including the District Reserve Guard from Dantewada, Narayanpur, and Bastar districts, Bastar Fighters, and the Special Task Force, were involved in the operation. Seven firearms have been recovered from the encounter site, and further details are awaited as the operation continues.
This incident brings the total number of Naxalites killed in separate encounters with security forces in the state this year to 112. On May 10, at least 12 Naxalites were killed in forests of restive Bijapur district.
On April 30, ten Naxalites, including three women, were killed in an encounter along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts. Earlier, on April 16, security forces had gunned down 29 Naxalites during an exchange of fire in Kanker district.
A team of security personnel were out on search operation when an encounter broke out with Naxalites in the morning near Pidia village in Gangaloor region.
(With inputs from agencies)