Kanker: A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces on Kanker-Narayanpur border.
A joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Border Security Force (BSF) recovered the body of the slain Naxalite, identified as Jatin Mandavi and recovered a self-loading rifle (SLR) and Maoist items from the encounter spot. A reward of Rs 8 lakh was announced on Mandavi. Kanker police, in a press release, stated there is possibility of several Naxalites being killed or injured in the encounter. Police said a search operation is on at the encounter spot and its nearby areas.
As per the release, on February 2, intelligence related to Naxalites' presence in Kanker was received by Kanker Police. Based on the input, a joint team of DRG and BSF swung into action and during patrolling entered into a gunfight with Naxalites.
The latest encounter comes a day after eight Naxalites were killed by security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, taking the Naxal toll killed in separate encounters in the state to 50 since January this year. A maximum of 34 Maoists were killed in the Bastar division comprising seven districts, including Kanker.
On January 20-21, 16 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Gariaband district under the Raipur division. Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh, police said.
