Twenty Naxalites killed 6 key ultras arrested in MP in last 5 years DGP

Bhopal, Nov 18 (PTI) Twenty Naxalites have been killed in Madhya Pradesh and six prominent leaders of the outlawed movement have been arrested in the last five years, state Director of General of Police Sudhir Saxena said on Monday.
His statement came a day after Hawk Force constable Shiv Kumar Sharma was seriously injured in a gunfight with Naxalites during a search operation in the hills of Duglai-Koddapar forest in Balaghat.
The Hawk Force is a specialised combat unit of the MP Police and is mostly deployed in Balaghat, the state's sole district affected by Left Wing Extremism.
DGP Saxena arrived in Balaghat during the day, held a meeting with top officials and then met Sharma in United Hospital in Maharashtra's Gondia district nearby.
"In the last five years, security forces have gunned down 20 Naxalites and arrested six prominent leaders carrying a cumulative reward of Rs 1.52 crore," he said.
The DGP, who spoke to Sharma's kin here, said the injured policeman would be given the best medical treatment.
Sharma's injury was announced on Sunday by Chief Minister Mohan Yadav.
The CM had also said 10 police teams were on the spot to carry out combing operations, adding that his government was committed to eradicating Naxalism.
Earlier this month, the Madhya Pradesh government had requested the Centre to sanction two additional battalions of CRPF for deployment in the Naxalite-affected Balaghat area given the possibility of influx of armed cadres from Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh.
Currently, three battalions of CRPF are deployed in Madhya Pradesh.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)