Security forces recover bodies of 30 Naxalites after separate encounters in Chhattisgarh

Bastar (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 20 (ANI): Security forces recovered the bodies of 30 Naxalites along with a large cache of firearms during search operations in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Kanker districts on Thursday, Bastar Inspector General of Police P Sundarraj said.

Speaking to ANI after two separate encounters with Naxalites in the two districts, IG Sundarraj said, “Operations were conducted today in various areas of the Bastar district. In the Bijapur-Dantewada border region, we have recovered the bodies of 26 Naxalites.”

“A large number of AK-47 rifles, as well as automatic and semi-automatic weapons, have also been seized. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) lost his life during the encounter,” he said.

Speaking about the encounter near the Kanker-Narayanpur border, the IG said that four Naxalites were killed in the gunfight, and their bodies were recovered during a search operation. “The search operation is still underway in the area,” he added.

Earlier in the day, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma condoled the death of the District Reserve Guard and said that at least 18 bodies out of the total 22 Naxalities killed in an encounter were recovered.

“Search operations have been ongoing in the Gangaloor area between Bijapur and Dantewada. One of our DRG jawans, Raju Oyyami, was killed in action during the operation. The entire government stands with his family. May God give them strength,” the Deputy CM said.

He further praised the security forces, saying, “I congratulate the jawans of Bastar and the entire team in Bijapur. This success is due to the bravery and strength of our soldiers. In addition to the Bijapur operation, search efforts are also ongoing in Kanker.”

The encounter in Bijapur district broke out on Thursday morning during a search operation carried out by security forces in Bijapur district. In a separate operation in Kanker district, four Naxalites were killed during a gunfight near a village.