Dantewada (Chhattisgarh): A Naxalite was gunned down by security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district, officials said on Sunday. The encounter took place in the Gidaam police station area on Saturday, leading to an intensive search operation.
According to police sources, the operation began after security forces received information about the presence of armed Naxalites in the forests near Ikeli, Nelgoda, and Tumnar villages. Units from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters, along with state police, launched an anti-Naxal operation, sources added.
Upon reaching the spot, the security forces met with gunfire from the Naxalites. The forces immediately retaliated, leading to a firefight. Eventually, the Naxalites fled from the spot through the dense forest. Following the encounter, the security forces conducted a search operation and recovered the body of a Naxalite. A weapon and other materials were also seized. The deceased Naxalite was identified as a member of Platoon No. 16, sources said.
Chhattisgarh Police, along with Central Security Forces, have been conducting continuous anti-Naxal operations across the state. With this latest incident, the total number of Naxalites killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh in 2024 has risen to 143.
Earlier, a ten-year-old child died after coming under the grip of an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxalites in the Bastar division of Chhattisgarh. The tribal child, Hidma Kawasi, died during treatment at the Bijapur District Hospital.
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