Chhattisgarh: Two Maoists killed after security forces conduct combing operations; weapons recovered

Rajnandgaon: Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces on Wednesday in Chhattisgarh’s Rajnandgaon district, police said. [caption id=“attachment_3756299” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representative image. PTI[/caption] The skirmish took place on Wednesday evening in the dense forest near Suktara village, Rajnandgaon superintendent of police Prashant Agrawal told PTI. Acting on inputs about movement of `vistaar (expansion) party’ of Maoists in Gandai forests for the past few days, a joint squad of special task force (STF) and district police force had carried out a combing operation after which an exchange of fire took place between them and the rebels, he said. The team came under fire while passing through Suktara forest. The rebels later escaped, while two bodies were recovered from the spot apart from a .315 bore gun and a pistol, the SP said. “Identity of the killed rebels is being ascertained. Although prima facie it is clear that they belonged to expansion team of ultras who are making attempts to expand their base along the border of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh”, Agrawal said. On 18 June, three Maoists, including two women, were killed in a gun-battle with police in Aundhi police station area of Rajnandgaon, 77 km away from Raipur.