Sukma: A Naxalite was killed in an encounter between police and Naxalites in Naxal-affected Sukma district of Bastar division in Chhattisgarh, police said on Friday. Police have claimed to have recovered the body of the slain Naxal and also recovered a huge cache of weapons from the slain Naxal's possession, whose identity was not immediately known.
Bastar IG Sundarraj P said that on Thursday, they received inputs about the presence of a large number of Naxalites on the hills of Simel and Gogunda under Kerlapal police station area of Sukma district. Following the intelligence inputs, a joint team of DRG, STF, CRPF and other security forces raided different places, he said.
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After searching in the forest area, the joint party was returning back to the headquarters when the hiding Naxalites, who ambushed the security forces in the forests of Sirseti and Kodelpara, opened fire on the security forces on Thursday night. The Naxal's fire was retaliated by the security forces thereby triggering a gunfight, Bastar IG said.
The Naxalites ran away taking advantage of the dense forest, he added. Following the encounter, a search operation was conducted at the spot during which the jawans recovered the dead body of a Naxalite, the IG said. "All the Naxalites ran away from the scene seeing the jawans retaliation. During the search operation, the dead body of a Naxalite and a large quantity of weapons were found,” Sundarraj P, Bastar IG said.
The identity of the Naxalite is being ascertained, he added. The police has also claimed that three to four Naxalites were injured in the encounter. A massive combing operation is underway in the area.
