Chhattisgarh: 12 naxals killed in encounter with security forces in South Bastar

Bastar (Chhattisgarh) [India], January 16 (ANI): As many as 12 naxals were killed during an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s South Bastar area on Thursday, officials said.

The encounter is still ongoing and a comprehensive search operation is underway in the area by security forces.

Further details are awaited in the incident.

Earlier on Sunday, five Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.

According to the Superintendent of Police, Bijapur, Jitendra Yadav, “5 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces. The bodies of 2 female naxals and 3 male naxals have been recovered. The identification of the deceased is yet to be done.”

Additionally, the SP said that several automatic and other weapons and explosives were from the forests under the National Park area of the Bijapur district.

“1 SLR rifle, 12 bore rifle, single shot rifle, BGL launcher, and other arms and ammunition have been recovered,” said the official.

Sharing details from the encounter, SP Jitendra Yadav said, “Based on the intelligence about the presence of naxals in the Bandepara-Korenjed forests under the Madded police station area of the national park area of Bijapur district on January 11, a security force team had gone on an anti-Maoist operation.”

“During the operation, on Sunday morning, an exchange of fire began between the security forces and the Naxalites in the Bandepara-Korenged forest, which continued till 3-4 pm,” said the SP.

Following the encounter, the search operation led to the recovery of five bodies of the killed Naxals, including two women, all in uniforms.

The recovered weapons included one SLR rifle, one 12-bore rifle, two single-shot rifles, one BGL launcher, and one locally made Bharmar gun, along with explosives, Maoist literature, and other Naxal materials.