At least 14 Naxalites have been neutralised in two separate encounters with security forcers in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, said officials on Saturday. The District Reserve Guard (DRG) had launched an operation in the Bastar region after receiving specific inputs about the ultras.
During the search in a forest in the southern region of the Sukma district, the Naxalites fired at the DRG personnel. In retaliation, 12 Naxalites were neutralised by the security forces. "12 Naxals killed in an encounter that broke out between DRG and Naxals in the forest under Kistaram area of Sukma district. Automatic weapons were also recovered," Sukma Superintendent of Police (SP) Kiran Chavan said.
Similarly, an anti-Maoist operation was launched around 5 am by the DRG and a team of the Chhattisgarh Police in the adjoining Bijapur district, in which two Naxalites were killed. The security forces have recovered automatic weapons, including one Self-Reloading Rifle (SLR) and 12 bore rifles from the forest area in the Bijapur district.
"Based on intelligence regarding the presence of armed Maoists in the southern region of Bijapur district, a search operation was launched. A team of the DRG was on an operation in the South Bastar region. Intermittent exchanges of fire between the DRG and Maoists have been ongoing since 5.00 AM," P Sundarraj, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bastar Range said. "So far, the bodies of two Maoists have been recovered from the encounter site during the search operation."
The security forces have intensified anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh, as part of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's deadline to end Naxalism in India by March 31. This year, as many as 285 Naxalites have been neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh.
