Seven Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

Of them, three carried a reward of ₹5 lakh each

At least seven members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed during an exchange of fire with security forces in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.

“An exchange of fire took place between a DRG [District Reserve Guard] team and the Maoists in Puspal on the border of Narayanpur and Dantewada district on Tuesday. Seven bodies of Maoists, two INSAS rifles, and four other weapons have been recovered,” said the Chhattisgarh Anti-Naxal Operation (ANO) unit in a statement.

Special Director General of Police of the ANO, D.M. Awasthi, expressed the possibility of “around a dozen Maoists” being killed in the encounter. However, only seven bodies were recovered by the DRG team.

According to Additional Inspector General of Police of the ANO, Devnath, three deceased were identified as CPI (Maoist) Bodhghat area committee member and LOS commander Nirmala, deputy LOS commander Somji and area committee member Nasik. “All three carried a reward of ₹5 lakh each,” he said.

IED blast

In a separate incident, a CRPF jawan was grievously injured in an IED (Improvised Explosive Device) blast in Sukma district.The blast took place near Paidigudem village under the Kistaram police station limits when the CRPF team was out on a patrol.

The injured CRPF jawan Ghanshyam of 212 Battalion was airlifted to Raipur for treatment.

Two held

In another incident, the Maharashtra police arrested two Maoists in Gadchiroli district bordering Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.Maoists’ platoon no.3 member Nilesh Potawi and Kasansur LOS member Ajit Pudo were arrested from Reknar forest.