Two Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh gunfight

NAGPUR: At least two suspected Maoists were gunned down in a fierce encounter between the leftwing extremists and the security forces near Abujhmad jungle of Chhattisgarh, bordering Laheri of south Gadchiroli, some 300 kms from Nagpur, on Saturday morning. A group of C-60 jawans, an elite “anti-maoist squad” of Gadchiroli police, launched an operation in the border areas of Abujhmad (Chhattisgarh) jungle Friday evening.

The operation began following intelligence inputs received by the security forces regarding an armed training camp being conducted there. Gadchiroli SP Shailesh Balkawde said the encounter continued for hours. Later, apart from the bodies, arms, ammunition and Maoist literature were recovered from the site. Balkawde said the rebels had recently set up a camp there and around 70-80 red rebels had begun taking arms training just a day ago. “We suspect that about half a dozen Maoists were injured. The Maoists managed to remove their injured under the cover of darkness. Meanwhile, the two bodies have been sent for a post-mortem. The deceased are yet to be identified.