Encounter on Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border: An encounter broke out between Naxalites and security personnel in Abujhmad of the Narayanpur-Kanker border area in Chhattisgarh since Tuesday morning, police said. According to news agency PTI, in the encounter, at least nine Naxals were killed.
The recent operation against the Naxalites marks the second significant blow dealt by security forces within a span of 15 days.
The exchange of gunfire took place at around 6 am in a forest area of Tekmeta near the Maharashtra border, where a combined team comprising the Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) is conducting an anti-Naxal operation. The Narayanpur Police have surrounded the Maoists in the Tekameta area of Abujmarh.
According to information received, the police were informed of the presence of a large number of Naxals in the Tekameta forest area bordering Maharashtra. Based on this information, the security forces were deployed for a search operation late on Monday night. When the security forces reached the area on Tuesday morning, the Naxals opened fire as soon as they saw them. In response, the security forces also retaliated.
88 Naxalites killed in 2024
Following the cessation of the exchange of fire, authorities recovered the bodies of seven Naxalites, including two women, from the scene. Alongside, an AK-47 rifle and a cache of other weapons and explosives were seized. Despite this, a search operation in the area is still ongoing. The identities of the deceased Naxalites have yet to be confirmed.
This incident brings the total number of Naxalites killed to 88 this year in various encounters with security forces in the Bastar region of the state, encompassing seven districts, including Narayanpur and Kanker. On April 16, 29 Naxalites were also killed in an encounter with security forces in Kanker district.
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