Kanker (Chhattisgarh): A police constable and a Naxalite were killed in an encounter that broke out in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Sunday, police officials said.
The gunfight took place when the security forces undertook an anti-Naxal operation in a forest near Hidur village adjacent to Chhotebethiya police station area of Kanker. The Naxalites attacked the security forces prompting an exchange of fire.
Constable Ramesh Kurethi of Bastar Fighters, a state police unit died in the encounter that continued for about 1.5 hours, Kanker SP IK Alesela said. Kurethi was a resident of Sangam village of Pakhanjur in Kanker.
According to police, the security forces received information about presence of Naxalites in the forest near Hindur in Kanker. After which, a search operation was launched and the Naxalites, who were already prepared and ambushed the soldiers.
A Naxalite was also killed in the encounter and he has been identified as Nagesh. His body and an AK-47 rifle were recovered from the spot. A search operation is currently underway in the surrounding areas by police force, BSF and DRG. The government had earlier announced a reward of Rs 10 lakh on the deceased Naxalite. Nagesh was associated with the Maoist organization for a long time. The police was searching for him for a long time and he was the commander of Partapur Area Committee.
Speaking on the latest encounter, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai said that ever since their government was formed in the state, they have intensified and strengthened the fight against Naxalism and new security camps have been started in Naxal affected areas. The work of providing government facilities to the poor people is being done rapidly through new camps, he said. Stating that Naxalites do not want the benefits of government schemes to reach the people, the CM said that the government will fight until Naxalism is ended.
Sundarraj P, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, said that an encounter took place with a joint team of security personnel near Hidur village of Chhotabethiya area. "Input was received about the presence of Naxalites in Hidur forest. After the presence of Naxalites, soldiers started the operation in the area. DRG, Bastar Fighter and BSF personnel were involved in the encounter. As soon as the soldiers started cordoning off the area, the Naxalites started firing. Constable Ramesh Kurethi of Bastar Fighters was martyred in the encounter. A Naxalite's body and AK-47 rifle have been recovered from the spot. A searching operation has been conducted in the area," he said.
During the Naxal operation in Dantewada, the memorial built by Naxalites at Camp Potali in Aranpur was demolished with the help of JCB. The team of soldiers had set out for area domination in Urpalpara. During the search, the soldiers got information about the memorial built by Naxalites. The soldiers immediately razed the monument with the help of JCB. Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai said, "As the elections are near, the search operation has been intensified in the area. During the search, we discovered a memorial built in memory of the Naxalites killed in the encounter, which we demolished."
Earlier on February 24, four Naxalites were killed in an encounter in Chhote Tungali forest under Jangla police station area of Bijapur. district. The security forces had recovered the bodies and weapons from the spot.
A day prior to this, three Naxalites were killed an encounter that broke out between the Naxalites and the DRG soldiers in Alparas forest under Koylibeda police station area of Kanker district.
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