Face-off between Naxals and BSF team in Chhattisgarh; none hurt

Raipur: An exchange of fire took place between Naxals and BSF personnel in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Kanker district on Thursday.

However, no casualty or injury was reported from either side, police said.

The skirmish took place this morning when a team of the 171st battalion of Border Security Force (BSF) was out on a road security operation in Bande police station area, a senior police official said.

The BSF personnel had launched the operation to ensure security to the construction of Bande-Irpanaar road (36 km), he said.

While the patrolling team was carrying out the road security operation between Kurenar and Kanhargaon villages, the armed ultras opened fire at them following which the BSF personnel retaliated, he said.

However, the rebels soon escaped in the forest, he said, adding that BSF's patrolling was underway in the region.

The BSF had last month set up its camp in Kanhargaon village, that lies on the border of Kanker and Gadchiroli districts (Maharashtra), to ensure security to the
Bande-Irpanaar road.

The road between Bande and Irpanaar goes through a dense forest, along the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border, which is a Naxal hotbed, a BSF official said.

"The Naxals are frustrated with construction of the road and are trying to disrupt it by making such attempts," he said.