The death toll of Naxalites killed in an encounter with security personnel on Friday in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region has risen from 24 to 30. An intermittent exchange of fire is still underway in the area.
The gunfight broke out between a joint party of Narayanpur Police and Dantewada Police, and naxalites at around 1 pm in the forest between Thulthuli and Nendur villages in Abhujmaad on the Narayanpur-Dantewada inter-district border, following a search operation.
The security personnel have recovered bodies of 14 Naxalites along with a cache of weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and one SLR from the encounter spot so far.
Personnel belonging to District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) were also involved in the gunfight operation, news agency PTI reported.
Security forces on Thursday had busted a Naxalite camp in the Sukma district in the Bastar region after an encounter. A huge cache of explosives and other materials was also recovered.
According to the police, 171 Maoists have been gunned down by security forces so far in separate battles in the Bastar region, which comprises seven districts, including Dantewada and Narayanpur.
5 Security Personnel Injured In IED Explosion In Bijapur
Last month, five security personnel were injured after a pressure improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites exploded in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on September 29.
The incident took place in Tarrem police station area when a team of security personnel was conducting a demining exercise from Chinngelur CRPF camp in the area, PTI reported.
The demining exercise is undertaken to trace IEDs and dispose them. The security personnel had spotted a wire connected to the pressure IED. The blast happened when they were searching the bomb connected to the wire, causing splinter injuries to five of them.
The injured jawans were provided preliminary treatment and were shifted to Bijapur district hospital. Their condition was out of danger.