Sukma: Nearly 10 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bastar division of the southern area of Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Friday morning.
"A heavy exchange of fire occurred and search operations are being conducted," Sukma SP Kiran Chavan said.
The encounter between District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Naxalites began at around 6 am in Bhejji area of Konta in Sukma. Chavan said information about the Naxalites were received from an informer in Bhejji area following which, a team of DRG jawans were sent to the forests of Bhejji. More information will be available once the search operation is completed, the SP said.
It is being told that the Naxalites reached Chhattisgarh via Odisha. The security personnel surrounded them and an exchange of fire took place. It is also being said that a huge cache of ammunition and arms, including three automatic pistols were recovered from the site.
Three of them female Naxalites and seven male Naxalites. A team of security forces reached Sukma Police Headquarters with the bodies of the slain Naxalites.
Six of the Naxalites killed by the forces in the encounter in Bhejji of Sukma have been identified. These six Naxalites were carrying a total reward of Rs 21 lakhs as declared by the security forces. Apart from this, one of the killed Maoists has a reward of Rs 8 lakhs.
On Thursday, a Naxalite was killed and a security jawan injured in an encounter in Malkangiri along the Odisha-Chhattisgarh border. It was learnt that that Naxals had entered into Odisha from neighbouring Chhattisgarh.
Earlier this week, a two-day-long encounter took place in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district and five Naxals were killed in the incident.
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