31 Maoists Gunned Down, 2 Cops Killed In Encounter In Chhattisgarh's Bijapur
The encounter took place in the forests under the Indravati National Park area of Bijapur when a team of security personnel was carrying out an anti-Naxalite operation.
As many as twelve maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh on Sunday. However, later the toll rose to 31. Besides the maoists, two security personnel also lost their lives during the gunfight. Bastar police said that search operation is underway in the region.
The encounter took place in the forests under the Indravati National Park area of Bijapur when a team of security personnel was carrying out an anti-Naxalite operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P told news agency PTI.
A huge cache of weapons and explosives has also been recovered from the site, the official said.
The two security personnel who were killed during the gunfight belong to the state police's District Reserve Guard and the other from the Special Task Force. Two other cops of the state police force suffered injuries in the face-off. They are reportedly out of danger and were airlifted for medical treatment.
"Reinforcement has been rushed to the spot and search operation is still underway in the area," he added.
Panchayat Poll Candidate Hacked To Death By Naxalites In Dantewada
In another incident involving naxalites, a former sarpanch (village head), who was contesting the upcoming panchayat elections in Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh, was killed by naxalites.
A group of unidentified men stormed the house of the sarpanch, Joga Barse (52), in Aranpur village and hacked him to death with an axe in front of his family members. The incident took place on on Thursday night, PTI reported citing a police official.
A team from the Aranpur police station the rushed to the spot and the body was sent for post-mortem. "No Maoist pamphlets were recovered from the spot but prima facie it seems Naxalites committed the murder," he said.
Barse was contesting for the post of sarpanch in the panchayat elections, which were set to be held in three phases on February 17, 20, and 23. He had served as sarpanch in the past and was contesting the polls again for the same post.
Another man was hacked to death by Naxalites in the same Aranpur area on February 4. A night before that two men were killed by Naxalites in neighbouring Bijapur district. Victims included a man who was earlier one of the former colleagues of the Naxalites.
Last month, Naxalites murdered a 41-year-old man in Bijapur's Bhairamgarh area, accusing him of leaking information about the outlawed CPI (Maoist). At least 68 civilians were killed in 2024 in separate incidents of Naxal violence in the Bastar region which comprises seven districts, including Bijapur, PTI reported citing police.
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