Bastar: Police killed 29 Maoists in a fierce gun fight that occurred in the Chote Bethiya area of Kanker district of Bastar division on Tuesday. On the concrete intelligence inputs off the presence of top Maoist leaders such as Shankar, Sarita, Raju and others, a joint team of security forces composed of BSF, DRG and CASF were dispatched to carry out combing operation on Tuesday.
They were carrying out patrol in the jungles of Binagunda under Beriya police station limits of Kanker district of Bastar division, the joint team of security forces were attacked by armed Naxals, Bastar police said in a statement.
In defence, the security forces also retaliated from three corners and the gunfight continued for an hour. The Naxals escaped deep into the jungles when they found security forces were falling heavy on their strength, said one senior level police officer. The Bastar police sent backup parties to rescue and provide additional support to the jawans.
However, in the fierce encounter, one inspector and two jawans were hit by the bullets. During the search, the police recovered 29 dead bodies of the armed Naxals, IG Bastar Sundarraj told the media on Tuesday. In the encounter, three jawans injured are referred to higher medical care. Reinforcement parties are dispatched to help the jawans in rescue and search operations.
From the site of the encounter a huge cache of arms, ammunition were recovered including AK 47, SLR, guns and others. More information will be shared as the killed Maoist are being identified, he added. He said the three personnel injured in action, their condition is reportedly to be stable and out of danger. Among the killed Maoists in the encounter include top leader Shankar Rao, who carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma said a large number of Maoists have been neutralised. “I would like to congratulate the jawans of the security forces.. We are all working under the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai. Union Home Minister Amit Shah is giving us guidance and all that is necessary will be done to eradicate Maoists problem from Bastar,” he adds.
