15 Naxals killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

Bhopal: In a pre-dawn swoop, security forces on Monday raided a Naxal camp in Gumma forest in Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Sukma, killing 15 ultras.

This was the biggest blow to ultras in the three-decade-long Left-wing insurgency history of Bastar where 15 bodies of rebels were recovered in a single incident.

Significantly, one woman cadre, who received bullet injuries during the face-off, and an area commander of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) were arrested during the encounter that took place close to Tolkatong villae under Konta block early on Monday morning.

“This was the most successful counterinsurgency operation carried out in Bastar so far,” special DGP (Naxal operation) D.M. Awasthi said. This was also the second setback suffered by Maoists in Bastar region in last fortnight.

According to Mr Awasthi, two search parties were dispatched from Konta and Bhejji in Sukma district on Sunday to the forested region following inputs on presence of Maoists in Tolkatong area.