As many as nine Naxalites were killed during an encounter with the security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division on Tuesday, said the police. The operation was launced after receiving intelligence inputs indicating presence of Maoists in the area.
The encounter began at around 1 pm and is still underway.
During the operation, police recovered automatic weapons in a large quantity from the militants. A Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), a .303 Rifle, and a .315 Bore Rifle, have been recovered from the spot, said Dantewada Superintendent of Police, Gaurav Rai, reported ANI.
All the security forces involved in the operation are said to be safe and a detailed report will be released after the completion of the operation, reported ANI.
The development comes after a joint police team went on a search operation earlier in the day from West Bastar Division to the border area of Dantewada and Bijapur districts.
In May this year, 12 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur. Two security personnel had sustained injuries after Improvised Explosive Device was blown off by Maoists during the operation.
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Last month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah assured that the government will be able to solve the Lift Wing Extremism (LWE) problem in the country by March 2026.
The Union Minister made the assurance during an inter-state coordination meeting with Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai, Chief Secretaries and Director Generals of Police of the state along with neighbouring states over the left-wing extremism in the area.
Shah assessed the mesaures taken against insurgency of Naxal militants and the advancement of insfrastructure projects in regions that are known as Red corridors within nine states troubled by LWE.