C’garh: 10 Naxals killed in encounter

At least 10 Maoists were on Thursday gunned down in an encounter with the security forces in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Bijapur.

This was the biggest counterinsurgency operation undertaken in Naxal- infested Bastar after the new Congress government in Chhattisgarh took charge on December 17, 2018. The over one hour encounter took place around 11.30 at Barega under Bhairamgarh police station, police said, adding that bodies of 10 Naxals have been recovered so far.

At least 10 Maoists were on Thursday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Bijapur.

This was the biggest counter- insurgency operation undertaken in Naxal- infested Bastar after the new Congress government in Chhattisgarh took charge on December 17, 2018.

The encounter took place at around 11.30 in the morning when a joint search party comprising district reserve group and Special Task Force was attacked by armed Maoists at Barega under Bhairamgarh police station, a senior police officer posted in Bastar said.

The encounter lasted nearly one- and- half hours.

“Bodies of 10 Naxals have been recovered so far. Besides, 11 weapons and a large number of improvised explosive devices were also seized at the encounter site,” Chhattisgarh director general of police ( DGP) D. M. Awasthi said.

According to him, acting on a tip off on movement of ultras in forests of Takilod on the river bank of Indravati, the joint combat team was dispatched to the area, considered a Maoist- stronghold, on Wednesday evening to launch search operation.