One police jawan and twenty two naxalites have been killed in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh on Thursday officials said. It has been reported that the deceased jawan was part of the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) unit.
While 18 naxalites and the cop died in the Bijapur encounter, the rest were likely killed a separate encounter in Abujhmad where the naxalites triggered an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) explosion.
As per a report by The Indian Express, Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range, Sundarraj P, said that the gunfight broke out at around 7 am in a forest along the border of Bijapur and Dantewada districts when a joint team of security personnel was out an anti-Naxalite operation in Gangaloor police station area.
"One jawan from Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) is martyred in the firing. Eighteen Maoists have been killed. We have recovered explosives and weapons. Search operations are going on,” the officer said.
He also added that the the bodies of of the deceased Naxalites along with firearms and explosives were recovered from the spot.
As per The Indian Express report, around 85 naxalites have been killed in various encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh so far this year, including 69 in the Bastar region while a total of 13 jawans and 16 civilians have also been killed in the violence.
