Six Naxalites, including two women, were killed on Wednesday in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district. Earlier today an encounter broke out between the security forces and Naxalites in the area, after which six bodies of the Naxalites were recovered.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P stated that the gunfire took place in the forest area near Chipurbhatti village area along the Taperu river, which comes under the limits of the Basaguda police station. The encounter happened when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, news agency PTI reported.
Following the encounter, Chhattisgarh's Deputy CM Vijay Sharma stated that the operation was carried out after the murder of three villagers by Naxals.
"Bodies of 6 naxals have been recovered following an encounter operation by security forces after the murder of 3 villagers by naxals. Further search operations are underway," he stated.
The operation involved personnel belonging to the elite unit CoBRA(Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), the District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), based on the inputs received about the presence of Naxalites, belonging to People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) platoon no. 10 of Maoists, IG Sundarraj stated.
He also stated that a search operation was conducted after the exchange of fire stopped, during which the bodies of the six Naxalites, including two women were recovered. The IG also stated that a huge cache of weapons and explosives was also recovered from the spot.
"The identity of the dead Naxalites is yet to be ascertained," he stated.
The IG added that many other Naxalites were reportedly injured in the gunfight and the search operation was still underway.
Bijapur district, located in the Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, will go to polls on April 19 during the first phase.