Bijapur (Chhattisgarh): Security forces gunned down 31 Naxalites during a fierce encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Sunday, officials reported.
The clash, which resulted in the death of two security personnel and left two others injured, marked another major blow to Left-Wing Extremist forces in the region.
This encounter, which took place in the dense forests of Indravati National Park in the morning, was part of a larger, coordinated anti-Naxal operation led by a joint team from various security forces.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P confirmed the toll, stating that 31 Naxalites had been killed in the gunfight.
Authorities also seized a large quantity of weapons and explosives from the site of the encounter.
Two security officers – one from the District Reserve Guard and the other from the Special Task Force – were killed in the exchange of fire.
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The two injured personnel, who are reported to be out of danger, were immediately airlifted to a higher medical facility for treatment.
Reinforcements have been dispatched to the area, and a search operation is ongoing to secure the region.
As of this year, security forces in Chhattisgarh have neutralised a total of 81 Naxalites in separate encounters, with 65 of them killed in the Bastar division alone, which includes Bijapur.
Last year, a total of 219 Naxalites were killed by security forces across the state, as part of ongoing efforts to combat Left-Wing Extremism.
