Four Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh

Four Maoist insurgents, including a woman, were killed on Sunday in three separate gunbattles with security forces in the forested stretches of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, police said.

Four Maoist insurgents, including a woman, were killed on Sunday in three separate gunbattles with security forces in the forested stretches of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh, police said.

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The gunbattles in Bijapur and Narayanpur districts started in the early hours of Sunday and continued till late evening. A recovery of 15 kg of explosives was also made during these gunbattles.

"Our 'jawans' (soldiers) had strategically encircled armed Maoists in their hideouts at two places in Bijapur district and at one site in Narayanpur district, in which four guerrillas were shot dead after a daylong intense gunbattle," T.J. Longkumer, inspector general of police, Bastar range, told IANS.

Police also recovered guns and explosives that were filled in tiffin boxes.

The Bastar region, spread over about 40,000 sq km area, is a strong-hold of the Leftist radicals. Since 2004, at least 1,500 people have been killed in the state in Maoist related violence.

Officials at the police headquarters here say that state police in co-ordination with paramilitary troopers will now consistently raid rebel strongholds in Bastar which comprises five districts - Dantewada, Bijapur, Narayanpur, Kanker and Bastar.