Chhattisgarh: 10 Maoists Dead In Anti-Naxal Encounter At Bijapur; 43 Naxalites Killed This Year | Details

In a major anti-insurgency operation right ahead of the Lok Sabha polls, 10 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, police said. Bijapur district comes under the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, which will go to polls in the first phase of general elections on April 19.

After the exchange of fire stopped, bodies of four Naxalites were recovered from the spot along with a light machine gun, barrel grenade launchers and other arms and ammunitions, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said.

Later, six more bodies were found at the encounter site, the IG said, adding that search operation was still underway in the area.

All about the incident

According to the Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P, the gunfight took place at around 6 am in a forest near Lendra village under Gangaloor police station area, when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation.

The joint anti-naxal operation was conducted by personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force and its elite unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).

After the exchange of fire stopped, the bodies of four Naxalites along with a light machine gun and other weapons were recovered from the spot, he said.

Later six more bodies were found at the encounter site, the IG said, adding that search operation was still underway in the area.

What is TCOC carried out by Naxalites?

Every year during the summer, the Naxalites carry out the Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) to step up their activities. A large number of attacks on security forces have taken place in the Bastar region during this period.

On March 27, six Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Basaguda area of Bijapur, police earlier said.

With the latest incident, 43 Naxalites have been killed so far this year in separate encounters with security forces in Bastar region, comprising seven districts including Bijapur, according to police.