Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): Twelve Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday, police said, taking the number of left-wing extremists killed in the state so far this year to 103.
He said that during the operation, two security personnel were also injured in the improvised explosive device (IED blast) made by the Maoists.
This was the third major attack on Naxalites by security forces in the last one month and comes three weeks after 29 militants were killed in an encounter in Kanker district. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai congratulated the security forces and senior officials for the successful attack in Bijapur.
The latest firing took place in a forest near Pidiya village under Gangalu police station area, when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a police officer said.Personnel from District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma districts, Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved. Operation, he said.
The operation was launched based on information about the presence of 100 to 150 cadres in the forest along with Vella, commander of PLG (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) Company No. 2 of Maoists and Dinesh Modiyam, secretary of Gaglur Area Committee, the official said.
He said that the encounter between the two sides started around 6 am in the forest near Pidia, located 450 km from the state capital Raipur, and then multiple firings took place at various places in the area.
He said that after the guns were silenced, bodies of 12 Naxalites were recovered from the spot, their identities have not been identified yet.Besides, one barrel grenade launcher (BGL), one 12 bore gun, one country made rifle with BGL shells, huge quantity of explosives, Maoist uniforms, bags, medicines and Naxalite propaganda material and literature were seized from the encounter site.
The officer said that the search operation is still going on in the area.
He said that two security personnel injured in the IED blast caused by Maoists during the operation were shifted to a local hospital and will be airlifted to Raipur for further treatment.
He suffered shrapnel injuries in the explosion.
Speaking to reporters here, Chief Minister Sai said, “The firing between security personnel and Naxalites has ended in Gangalur area.Our security forces have got a major success as bodies of 12 Naxalites have been recovered so far."
According to police, with this incident, 103 Naxalites have been killed so far this year in separate encounters with security forces in the state's Bastar region, which covers seven districts including Narayanpur and Kanker.
On April 16, 29 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kanker district. This was the highest number of Naxal deaths in a single encounter in the history of the state's fight against left-wing extremism. Chhattisgarh became a separate state in November 2000.On April 30, ten Naxalites, including three women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest on the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts.
He said that during the operation, two security personnel were also injured in the improvised explosive device (IED blast) made by the Maoists.
This was the third major attack on Naxalites by security forces in the last one month and comes three weeks after 29 militants were killed in an encounter in Kanker district. Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai congratulated the security forces and senior officials for the successful attack in Bijapur.
The latest firing took place in a forest near Pidiya village under Gangalu police station area, when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a police officer said.Personnel from District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma districts, Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved. Operation, he said.
The operation was launched based on information about the presence of 100 to 150 cadres in the forest along with Vella, commander of PLG (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) Company No. 2 of Maoists and Dinesh Modiyam, secretary of Gaglur Area Committee, the official said.
He said that the encounter between the two sides started around 6 am in the forest near Pidia, located 450 km from the state capital Raipur, and then multiple firings took place at various places in the area.
He said that after the guns were silenced, bodies of 12 Naxalites were recovered from the spot, their identities have not been identified yet.Besides, one barrel grenade launcher (BGL), one 12 bore gun, one country made rifle with BGL shells, huge quantity of explosives, Maoist uniforms, bags, medicines and Naxalite propaganda material and literature were seized from the encounter site.
The officer said that the search operation is still going on in the area.
He said that two security personnel injured in the IED blast caused by Maoists during the operation were shifted to a local hospital and will be airlifted to Raipur for further treatment.
He suffered shrapnel injuries in the explosion.
Speaking to reporters here, Chief Minister Sai said, “The firing between security personnel and Naxalites has ended in Gangalur area.Our security forces have got a major success as bodies of 12 Naxalites have been recovered so far."
According to police, with this incident, 103 Naxalites have been killed so far this year in separate encounters with security forces in the state's Bastar region, which covers seven districts including Narayanpur and Kanker.
On April 16, 29 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Kanker district. This was the highest number of Naxal deaths in a single encounter in the history of the state's fight against left-wing extremism. Chhattisgarh became a separate state in November 2000.On April 30, ten Naxalites, including three women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest on the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts.
