In an ongoing operation that commenced on Thursday, security personnel engaged in a fierce gun battle with Naxalites in a forest located along the Narayanpur-Bijapur inter-district border in Chhattisgarh, resulting in the elimination of eight Naxalites. The encounter erupted when a Special Task Force (STF) team, having completed an operation, was returning to its base. According to SP Dantewada Gaurav Rai, approximately eight weapons, including arms and ammunition, were seized from the slain Naxalites.
Following the intense exchange of fire, the body of a Naxalite clad in uniform was discovered at the scene. Additional details regarding the encounter are still being gathered. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai expressed his appreciation for the security forces’ efforts and reaffirmed his government’s unwavering commitment to combating Naxalism.
This latest incident brings the total number of Naxalites killed in encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh to 113 so far this year. Ten Naxalites, including three women, were killed in an encounter on April 30th in a forest along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts. On April 16th, security forces had gunned down 29 Naxalites in Kanker district. Additionally, on May 10th, 12 Naxalites were eliminated in a gunbattle near Pidia village in Bijapur district. However, local villagers and activists have raised concerns, alleging that the individuals killed near Pidia were not Naxalites and that the encounter was staged.
