Chhattisgarh news: 10 Maoists killed in encounter with security personnel in Bastar; arms and ammunition recovered

Ten Maoist insurgents, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in forests bordering Narayanpur and Kanker districts in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. This is the second major encounter in the area in a fortnight.

Among the ten, two hardcore Maoists DVCM (divisional committee member) were killed in Tuesday's encounter in the jungles of Abujhmad at Narayanpur Kanker border area.

According to reports, a total of 10 bodies of maoists have been recovered.

The encounter between Maoists and a joint security team of the DRG and the STF broke out in a forest at around 6 am today.

The exchange of fire occurred along the borders of Narayanpur and Kanker districts in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

"During the operation, an encounter took place between the police party and Maoists in the forest between the village Tekmeta and Kakur at 6 am on April 30. During the search of the incident site after the encounter, bodies of a total of 10 Maoist cadres including 3 female Maoists have been recovered, which are being identified," it added.

Pakhanjur Station House Officer (SHO) Laxman Kewat told ANI that, based on inputs about the presence of hardcore cadres, including Shankar, Lalita and Rupi in Kanker district's Maad area, and their plans to create a disturbance during the election, security forces mobilised, resulting in the biggest breakthrough on the Naxal front.

Meanwhile, Sharma said that a huge quantity of weapons and ammunition was recovered from the encounter site, stating that “our jawans are safe”, newswire ANI reported. An AK-47 rifle was also seized from the spot.

Although the exchange of fire has stopped, the search operation is still underway in the area.

Earlier this month, 29 Maoists were killed in an encounter in Kanker district.

According to police, a total of 88 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters with security forces in the Bastar region of the state this year, so far.

On Monday, April 29, officials said that at least 23 Maoists had surrendered before the security forces in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada.