Security personnel killed seven Naxalites in an encounter in a forest along Narayanpur-Bijapur inter-district border in Chhattisgarh on Thursday, police said.
Commenting on the incident, Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Vijay Sharma said, “This is a big success for security forces. I appeal to Naxalites to surrender. The government is ready to hold discussions and take appropriate decisions to end this issue.”
All about the encounter
According to Narayanpur Superintendent of Police (SP) Prabhat Kumar, the gunfight broke out around 11 am when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation.
The SP further added that seven Naxalites wearing 'Maoist uniform” have been gunned down in the exchange of fire so far, said the SP.
As per reports, the operation included security personnel from several units of state police including the District Reserve Guard from Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bastar districts, Bastar Fighters and Special Task Force.
Based on inputs about the presence of cadres from Maoists’ Indravati Area Committee and Platoon No. 16, the operation was launched.
Altogether seven firearms have been recovered from the encounter site, according to the SP. With this incident, 112 Naxalites have been killed so far this year in separate encounters with security forces in the state.
Anti-naxal operation in Kanker
Ten Naxalites, including three women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts on April 30. On April 16, security forces had gunned down 29 Naxalites during an exchange of fire in Kanker district, according to police.
On May 10, 12 Naxalites were eliminated in a gunbattle with security personnel near Pidia village in Bijapur district. However, local villagers and activists had claimed that those killed near Pidia were not Naxalites and that the encounter was staged.
