Maoist militants killed three civilians while security forces gunned down at least six rebels in Chhattisgarh, police said on Sunday.
Rebels raided villages late on Saturday night under Gangrool police station of Bijapur locality in Bastar region and killed three middle-aged tribesmen by slitting their throat in separate incidents.
"We have three civilian deaths. Rebels probably killed them for their alleged link with the anti-insurgency operations," Bijapur Superintendent of Police Ratanlal Dangi said.
The Maoists, who have strong presence in the forested and hilly stretch of Bastar's 40,000 sq km, received a setback on Saturday as paramilitary troopers gunned down at least six rebels and wounded several others in a raid carried out in the Cherpe forest belt of the state bordering Maharashtra.
"We swooped on the rebel hideouts late on Saturday in a thick forested region of Batsar that separates Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh and killed at least six rebels and injured dozens," said Dangi.
He added that forces busted 10 hideouts in the raid of banned leftists' extremists outfit, Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist).
Chhattisgarh is among the worst Maoist infested 13 Indian states. At least 275 people, mostly the tribal civilians in the state's southern Bastar region were killed since January this year.
{{/usCountry}}Chhattisgarh is among the worst Maoist infested 13 Indian states. At least 275 people, mostly the tribal civilians in the state's southern Bastar region were killed since January this year.
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