Bijapur: Seven Maoists and two District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Wednesday, officials said.
Another jawan suffered injuries in the gunfight, they said, adding that the operation was still underway.
The gun battle took place in a forest of the Gangaloor area adjoining Dantewada district when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Maoist operation, said Bijapur superintendent of police, Dr. Jitendra Yadav.
Personnel belonging to the DRG and Special Task Force, both units of the state police, and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action- an elite unit of CRPF) were involved in the operation, he said.
So far, bodies of five Maoists have been recovered from the spot, the official said.
“Two DRG personnel, Head Constable Monu Vadadi and Constable Dukaru Gonde, were martyred during the operation. Another jawan Somdev Yadav sustained injuries. He has been evacuated for treatment,” he said.
With the latest action, 269 Maoists have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year.
Of them, 239 were eliminated in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur and Dantewada, while 27 others were gunned down in Gariaband district, which falls in the Raipur division. Two Maoists were killed in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in Durg division.
(With PTI inputs)
