New Delhi: At least 12 Maoists were killed Wednesday in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. Three District Reserve Guard (DRG) guards also lost their lives in the exchange of gunfire.
According to a statement by Bastar Range Police, the deceased DRG jawans include Head Constable Monu Wadadi, Constable Dukaru Gonde and Jawan Ramesh Sodi. Two other DRG jawans, who sustained injuries, are out of danger and under treatment.
“Continuous search operations are currently underway in the area. Additional reinforcement teams have been sent. The force is adequate and the area is cordoned off and the search is ongoing,” the statement by by Bastar Range Police said.
The encounter began around 9am with a joint team of Dantewada-Bijapur DRG, Special Task Force (STF), CRPF and CoBRA commandos launching a search operation during which they seized SLR and .303 rifles, besides ammunition. According to the statement, the encounter took place in a forest in Gangaloor area near Dantewada district.
At least 270 Maoists have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year.
Of these, 239 were killed in Bastar division and 27 in Gariaband. Two others were killed in Durg division.
Earlier last month, Maoist commander Madvi Hidma, along with his wife and four other Maoist cadres, was killed in an encounter in the dense Maredumilli forests along the Chhattisgarh-Andhra Pradesh border. In October, another senior Maoist leader Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupati surrendered before Maharashtra Police in Gadchiroli. This was followed by the surrender of another central committee member, Pulluri Prasad Rao alias Chandranna, in Telangana.
(Edited by Amrtansh Arora)
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