Chhattisgarh: Two naxals killed in encounter

Raipur: Two naxals were on Saturday gunned down in a fierce gun-battle with security forces in a densely forested hill in insurgency-hit Bastar district of Chhattisgarh, police said.

The encounter took place early this morning in restive Sanguel forest under Burgum police station area, Bastar Superintendent of Police RN Dash told PTI.

"There was input from local informers that a group of rebels was heading towards Bastanar valley after crossing Indravati river to receive a top Maoist leader. The same information was also collected by state intelligence branch," he said.

Acting on the inputs, a composite squad comprising District Reserve Group (DRG), Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and district force had launched an anti-naxal operation in the region, located around 400 kms away from here.

Security forces confronted Maoists in the forests near Sanguel village following which a heavy gun-battle broke out between the two sides.

The exchange of fire lasted for about an hour following which rebels escaped into the core forest area, he said.

"After searches in the area, bodies of two male Maoists, one .12 bore rifle and one SBML (single barrel muzzle loading) gun besides several other items were recovered from the spot," Dash said.

The recovered items include explosives, detonators, pipe bombs, codex wire, bags, magazine pouch, battery, electric wire and others, he added.

"As per preliminary information, the naxals group reportedly belonged to Barsur Area Committee of Maoists and the same squad with which police had another EOF in August last month," he said adding that the identity of the killed ultras was being ascertained.

According to the SP, the same group had allegedly targeted police personnel at the weekly market of Burgum on October 1, 2015 where a constable Manarau Benjam was martyred.