Five Naxalites arrested, several injured in encounter in Sukma, ahead of Amit Shah's visit

According to police sources, a group of Naxalites was planning to carry out some major incident near the National Highway following which a joint team of District Force and DRG was sent to the Errabor area.

Sukma: A day ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's to Bastar in Chattisgarh, five Naxalites were arrested and several injured in a major encounter with police on Thursday. Police said that the encounter took place at around 11 am. They further revealed that the incident took place at the Kotlander forest in the Sukma district.

According to police sources the cops received information that a group of Naxalites was planning to carry out some major incident near the National Highway following which a joint team of District Force and DRG was sent to the Errabor area. They further revealed that when the Naxalites saw the security forces approaching the area they resorted to indiscriminate firing.

Speaking to reporters, Sukma SP Sunil Sharma that the DRG and police team were sent to the spot along with the Konta police station TI and Errabor police station TI. " The encounter took place during a search operation search in the forests of Kottalendra, about 2-3 kilometers from the highway at around 11 am," he added.

Kumar said that five Naxalites were arrested during the encounter while about four to five of them are likely to have suffered injuries. " The companions of the injured Naxalites fled with them into the forest," he said.

The SP also urged the Naxalites to leave Naxalism and become a part of the mainstream and congratulated the police personnel for the successful operation. According to police sources, a search operation is being conducted in the area after the encounter.

The Union Home Minister will arrive in Bastar on March 24 for a two-day visit for the 84th Foundation Day function of the Central Reserve Police Force. He will also spend a whole day at the headquarters of the CRPF Cobra 201 Battalion located at Karanpur in Bastar district and attend a mass dinner with the jawans at the CRPF camp.