Seven Maoists, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Abujhmad of Narayanpur-Kanker border area in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
A huge quantity of weapons, ammunition and explosives including one AK 47 were also recovered from the encounter site, according to a top police official.
Speaking on details of the ongoing encounter, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P Sundarraj said, “A joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation on Monday night. The gunfight took place in the forest area located between village Tekmeta and Kakur at 6:00 am this morning,” P Sundarraj said.
“Bodies of seven Maoists, including two women cadres, and a huge cache of weapons and explosives including one AK 47 were recovered from the spot”, the IG said.
“The identification of the dead Maoists is being done. The search operation is underway. More details are awaited,” he further said.
Earlier on April 17, 29 Naxals were killed in encounter before they could execute a major incident as a part of their Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC).
“Following inputs about the presence of hardcore cadres, including Shankar, Lalita and Rupi in Maad area falling in Kanker district and their plans to create a disturbance during the election, security forces mobilised, resulting in the biggest breakthrough on the naxal front,” said Pakhanjur Station House Officer (SHO) Laxman Kewat, who was among officers leading the team.
He further informed that the team had no idea that Naxals would open fire first, as we were intending to call them to shun the part of violence and surrender. “Last month, we had an encounter with naxals resulting in the killing of the LGS commander in Kanker district and the recovery of one AK-4,” the officer informed, adding that “one jawan was killed on the line of duty.”