Nine Naxalites killed in encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh

Raipur: Security forces on Tuesday gunned down nine Maoists, including six women, after a 13-hour-long gunfight in a forest along the borders of Dantewada and Bijpur districts in south Bastar.

“Security forces engaged Maoists at several places in the forested villages of Lohegaon, Purengal and Andri under Kirandul police station in Dantewada district, leading to heavy casualties among the Naxals. All the security personnel who took part in the counterinsurgency operation are safe,” Dantewada superintendent of police Gaurav Rai said.

So far, 35 Maoists were killed in separate encounters in Bastar in the current monsoon season.

The bodies of the nine Maoists along with a huge cache of weapons including assault rifles, automatic weapons and barrel grenade launchers (BGLs) and explosives were recovered at the encounter site along with bodies of the nine Maoists, Bastar range inspector general of police P. Sunderraj said.

The nine victims have been identified as the members of West Bastar division of the Maoists, and People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Company No. 2 police said.

Search operation was still on in the area, Sunderraj added.

According to the Dantewada SP, acting on specific intelligence inputs on the presence of armed Maoists in the area, a joint search operation comprising personnel of the district reserve group (DRG), Bastar Fighters and the 111st and 230^th battalions of CRPF was launched in the area. The party came under attack by Maoists at around 10.30 am, leading to an encounter.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the security forces for the successful counterinsurgency operation.

A majority of the area under Bastar remains cut off from the rest of the world during the monsoon season due to the floods in the rivers, wild streams and rivulets. Security forces and Maoists go for an undeclared ceasefire during the period.

According to Sunderraj, 153 Maoists were killed in separate encounters in Bastar in the current year so far. Another 669 Maoists were arrested and 656 surrendered during the period.