Five Naxalites, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Sunday.
The gunfight broke out at Bandepara-Koranjed forests in the morning when the forces, including District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) and District Force, were conducting an anti-naxal operation in the area.
The operation was launched following inputs about the movement of the ultras in the area.
"The intermittent exchange of fire lasted till 3-4 pm. Bodies of five Naxalites, including two women, clad in 'uniform' were recovered from the site. We seized one Self Loading Rifle (SLR), one 12 bore rifle, two Single Shot rifles, one Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL), one muzzleloading gun and a cache of explosives," Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P. said.
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The identity of the deceased Naxalites is being ascertained, he said.
With Sunday’s incident, the total number of Naxalites killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year has gone up to 14.
On January 9, three ultras were gunned down in an operation of the security forces in Sukma district. This followed a three-day-long anti-naxal operation in Bijapur districts from January 4 to January 6, in which five Naxalites, including two women, were killed.
Earlier on January 3, one Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Gariaband district.
On January 6, eight police personnel and a civilian driver were killed after Naxalites blew up their vehicle with an IED.
