Raipur: At least 12 Maoists were on Wednesday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in a forest in Bijapur district under south Bastar in Chhattisgarh. Three jawans were also dead and two more injured in the event. Up to the most recent reports, the interaction was still going on. Twelve Maoists’ bodies have been found thus far. P Sunderraj, the inspector general of police for the Bastar range, told this newspaper that the encounter is still ongoing.
More casualties among the Naxals is not ruled out, the police said. Huge cache of weaponry including automatic rifles such as SLR and .303 rifles together with substantial quantities of explosives was seized at the encounter location. The seizure of automatic firearms indicates that several prominent Maoists may be among the murdered Naxals, a senior police officer stated. “A decisive anti-Naxal operation is ongoing in the West Bastar Division area along the Bijapur-Dantewada inter-district border”, Mr. Sunderraj stated.
According to Bijapur district superintendent of police Dr Jitendra Yadav, a joint search operation involving personnel of district reserve guard (DRG), special task force (STF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Combat Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), the elite anti-Naxal wing of CRPF, was launched in the area following intelligence tip off on the presence of armed Naxals in the forested region.
Security troops came under attack in a jungle at Bijapur- Dantewada interdistrict border at around nine am resulting to an encounter. Three jawans of DRG, named as head constable Manu Vadadi, constable Dukaru Gonde and jawan Ramesh Sodi, were slain in the confrontation, while two other cops were injured. The injured jawans were, however, out of danger, police said. The identity of murdered Maoists was still to be identified, authorities said. Additional reinforcement teams have been dispatched and the area has been sealed off for further search, Mr. Yadav said. “Since the search operation is still in progress, detailed information cannot be shared at this stage. After the procedure is over, specifics will be disclosed, Mr. Sunderraj stated.
