Three Naxals killed in anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, explosives seized

Raipur: Three Naxals were on Sunday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in forests in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said. Three weapons, including one INSAS rifle, and explosives were seized from the encounter spot, around 450 km from Raipur, they added. [caption id=“attachment_4076815” align=“alignleft” width=“380”] Representational image, PTI[/caption] The gun-battle took place this afternoon near Mankeli village under Bijapur police station limits when a joint team of the Special Task Force (STF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was on an anti-Maoist operation, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dantewada range) Sundarraj P told PTI. When the patrolling team reached Mankeli forests, an exchange of fire broke out between security forces and a group of ultras, he said. After a brief gunfight, the rebels escaped into the core area of the forests, he said. During a search operation of the encounter site, bodies of three rebels were recovered. Three firearms, including one INSAS rifle, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were also found, the DIG said. Six Naxals, including five women, were gunned down in two separate encounters with security forces in Narayanpur district of Bastar region on 7 November.