Chhattisgarh: 10 Naxalites Gunned Down In Encounter At Narayanpur-Kanker Border, 2nd Success For Forces In 2 Weeks

Chhattisgarh Naxal Encounter: The encounter took place around 6 am in the forest between Tekmeta and Kakur villages in the Abhujmad area. This area is known as a Naxalite stronghold

New Delhi: Ten Naxalites including three women were killed in an encounter with security forces on Tuesday on the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh, police said. This was the second major setback to the Naxalites within 15 days.

According to PTI, a senior police official said, the site of encounter was 30 km south of Kalper village in Kanker where 29 Naxalites were killed in a gunfight with security forces on April 16. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and state Home Minister Vijay Sharma termed the latest operation as a major success while also appealing to the Naxalites to come forward for talks and give up the path of violence.

Notably, the encounter took place around 6 am in the forest between Tekmeta and Kakur villages in the Abhujmad area. This area is known as a Naxalite stronghold. Further taking action, a joint team of the police's District Reserve Guard and Special Task Force was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official said, as per PTI.

The operation had been launched on Monday night based on inputs about the presence of armed Maoists in the region, he said. After the guns fell silent, the bodies of ten Naxalites, including three women, were recovered, he said. An AK-47 rifle and an INSAS rifle besides other arms, ammunition, and explosives were recovered from the spot, the official said.

However, the identity of the slain Naxalites was yet to be found.

Chhattisgarh Deputy CM Sharma Urges Naxalites To Join Mainstream

Meanwhile, Deputy CM Sharma extended congratulations to the security personnel for the success. "No personnel was harmed during the gunfight", he remarked. Chief Minister Vishnu Deo-led government wants a solution to this issue through talks. 

"If any Naxalite, or a big or small group wants to talk through video call or a mediator, we are ready and will arrange better rehabilitation for them. We urge them to join the mainstream. We want peace to prevail in Bastar and development to take place there", Sharma said.

 According to police, as many as 91 Naxalites have been killed this year so far in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region which comprises seven districts including Narayanpur and Kanker.