Narayanpur (Chhattisgarh): An exchange of fire took place between security forces and Naxalites in the Chhote Burgum forest in Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh on Friday, just ahead of Union Home Minister Amit Shah's visit to the state. According to official sources, no injuries were reported to the security personnel, but the Naxalites managed to flee during the encounter.
The encounter took place at around 4.30 pm when a joint team of the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) from the Kademeta camp conducted a search operation in the area after receiving information about the presence of Amdai Area Committee of Naxalites in the Chhote Burgum forest. The Naxalites were reportedly planning to carry out a major incident on Palli Barsoor Road in the forest near Chhote Burgum.
Lokesh Bansal, Sub Divisional Police Officer (SDOP), said, "During the encounter, the Naxalites managed to flee into the forest in Chhote Burgum. However, during a search operation conducted by the security forces along with the Bomb Disposal Squad (BDS), two Improvised Explosive Devices (IED) were recovered. The IEDs were diffused by the BDS team."
No injuries were reported to the security personnel during the encounter. Bansal added that a search operation is currently underway in the Chhote Burgum forest in Narayanpur to apprehend the Naxalites.
The encounter is significant because Union Home Minister Amit Shah has arrived in Chhattisgarh on March 24 to attend the 84th Raising Day celebrations of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Jagdalpur in district Bastar. The incident highlights the ongoing security challenges faced by the state and the efforts of security forces to counter the Naxalite insurgency in the region.
The Chhattisgarh government has been grappling with the Naxalite insurgency for several years, which has claimed the lives of numerous security personnel and civilians. The insurgency is fuelled by a range of issues, including the marginalization of tribal communities, land rights, and resource exploitation.
