Eight Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

Eight Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday, police sources said.

Two personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of the state police, were also injured in the gunfight.They added that automatic rifles, including INSAS rifles and Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) launchers, were also recovered from the spot.

The bodies of the deceased Maoists are yet to be identified and the process of identification would start soon. "The bodies of Maoists will be brought to district headquarters late on Saturday night, and after that identification will be done," said a senior police officer.

The operation was launched on Friday after receiving information about the presence of cadres of the "West Bastar division" of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) in the area, the senior officer stated.

The gunfight erupted around 8.30 am in the forest of Gangaloor police station area, when a joint team of security personnel was conducting an anti-Naxalite operation, the police added.

Sundarraj P, Inspector General of Police, Bastar range, said that the personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit, CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), were involved in the security operation.

"Till now, eight bodies of the Maoists have been recovered and the toll can rise by tomorrow. We believe that some Maoists sustained bullet injuries and are in the jungle. Combing operation of the jungle is going on," said the IG.

With this encounter, 58 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in the state so far this year.

On January 20-21, 16 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in the state's Gariaband district.

Last year, 219 naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in the state, as per the police.