Dhamtari encounter: A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with the security forces in the Dhamtari district of Chhattisgarh on Sunday, a police official said. An encounter broke out at 3:30 pm in a forest near Muhkot-Aamjhar villages under Khallari police station limits when a District Reserve Guard (DRG) team, led by Dhamtari Superintendent of Police Anjneya Varshney, was conducting an anti-Naxalite operation.
"The exchange of fire started while the patrolling team was cordoning off the Muhkot-Aamjhar forest. Naxalites escaped into the forest after funding security forces encircling them. A search of the area led to the discovery of the body of a Naxalite as well as a self-loading rifle (SLR), Maoist literature and items of daily use," SP Varshney told news agency PTI over the phone.
133 Naxalites killed this year
With Sunday's incident, a total of 133 Naxalites have been killed this year in various encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh.
Out of these, 131 Maoists were eliminated in the Bastar division, which encompasses seven districts. Additionally, two ultras were neutralized in Dhamtari district, part of the Raipur division. Earlier, on May 11, a Naxalite was also killed in an encounter in Dhamtari district.
Two CRPF jawans killed by Naxalites in IED blast
Earlier in the day, two jawans of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) CoBRA 201 battalion were killed today (June 23) in an IED blast. The Improvised Explosive Device (IED) was planted by Naxalites between Silger and Tekulagudem under the Jagargunda Police Sttaion limits in Sukma district.
Two personnel of CRPF’s jungle warfare unit CoBRA were killed after Naxalites blew up a truck with an improvised explosive device in Sukma on Sunday, police said. The Naxal blast took place around 3 pm near Timmapuram village between Silger and Tekalgudem camps of security forces, over 400 km from the state capital Raipur, a senior police official said.
Chhattisgarh's Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Sunday expressed grief at the death of two security personnel due to an IED blast carried out by Naxalites in Sukma district of the state. The Chief Minister regarded this Naxal attack as a 'cowardly act out of frustration' due to the ongoing Naxal eradication campaign in Bastar.
Meanwhile, he also prayed to God for the peace of the departed soul and to provide strength to their families.In a post to X, the Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai wrote in Hindi, "Sad news is coming about the death of 2 Cobra soldiers in the IED blast carried out by Naxalites in Tekalgudem of Sukma district. I pray to God for peace to the souls of the deceased soldiers and to provide strength to their families."
(With PTI inputs)
Also Read: Chhattisgarh: Two CRPF jawans killed by Naxalites in IED blast in Sukma district
Also Read: Nine Naxalites arrested in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district
