Twelve Naxal terrorists were neutralised during an encounter between the security forces and Naxalites in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh on Thursday. The encounter ensued when a joint team of security personnel were conducting an anti-Naxalite operation in the forest of the south Bijapur region.
As per reports, around 1500 security personnel from the state police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) from three districts, five battalions of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action- an elite jungle warfare unit of the CRPF) and the 229th battalion of the CRPF were involved in the joint operation launched in south Bijapur bordering Telangana. The total number of Naxals killed in this month so far has reached 26. The security forces also recovered weapons from the encounter site in the operation which is still underway.
The state police informed that it is an interstate joint operation that was launched after receiving information about the presence of senior Maoist cadres. The encounter began in the morning around 9 am in in the forests of Pujari Kanker-Murudbaka in south Bijapur. Intermittent firing has been going on since then. The officials said that the Maoists were ambushed by the teams of security forces from all directions.
Two jawans were reportedly injured in an improvised Explosive Blast (IED) blast earlier in the day. Terming the IED blast as a cowardly attack, Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said that Naxals have planted IEDs everywhere and even animals are getting killed because of it. “This is a cowardly act of Naxals. They have placed IEDs everywhere. Security personnel, civilians and animals are also getting killed in it. Yesterday, two security personnel were hit by an IED…both have been admitted to hospital and both are safe…”, Sharma said speaking to ANI.
Earlier, on January 12, five Naxals including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur. Security forces intensified anti-naxal operations in Bijapur after a ghastly IED attack was carried out by Maoists on a vehicle of security forces on January 6. Eight security personnel and a driver lost their lives in the attack.