3 Maoists, including 2 women, killed in encounter in Bastar: Chhattisgarh Police

Police said that they have recovered explosives and weapons from the encounter site and combing operation is still going on

RAIPUR: Three Maoists, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region on Saturday.

The bodies of the Maoists, brought to the district headquarters, are yet to be identified. (Representative Image)

Police said that they have recovered explosives and weapons from the encounter site and combing operation is still going on.

The bodies of the Maoists, brought to the district headquarters, are yet to be identified.

Inspector general of police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P, said that an encounter took place near Belam Gatta village under Basaguda police station of the district.

On Saturday morning, a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation when Maoists opened fire.

“The personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG), CRPF (Central Reserve Police Force)’s Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and the district police launched the operation from Basagunda and when the team reached Belam Gatta, the exchange of fire took place. After the firing stopped, the bodies of three Maoists, including two women, were found from the spot,” said the IG.

“We had information that the Madded Area Committee‘s divisional member Vinod Karma and other 25 armed Maoists were camping in that area and hence the operation was launched. The bodies of the deceased Maoists are yet to be identified,” said the IG.

Notably, as per the data accessed by HT, the anti-Maoist operations have intensified in the last two months. The figures show that there were only four anti-Maoist operations in July and August of last year, which dropped to two in September and October. However, the number increased to 12 in November and nine operations were conducted in December 2023. In all, 27 operations were conducted.