C'garh: 3 hardcore Naxals killed, SSB jawan hurt in encounter

The three Naxals were collectively carrying a reward of Rs 18 lakh on their heads, they said. The gunfight took place around 8 am in a forest between Padkaelbeda and Kosranda villages under Tadoki police station limits when separate joint teams of the SSB and local police were out on an area domination operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

Three dreaded Naxals, including a woman, were killed and a Sashastra Seema Bal jawan was injured in a fierce gun-battle between ultras and security forces in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Monday, police said. The three Naxals were collectively carrying a reward of Rs 18 lakh on their heads, they said.

The gunfight took place around 8 am in a forest between Padkaelbeda and Kosranda villages under Tadoki police station limits when separate joint teams of the SSB and local police were out on an area domination operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told PTI. The patrolling teams, comprising personnel from SSBs 33rd and 28th battalions and local police, had launched the operation in forests of Tadoki and Rowghat areas, located around 150 km from the state capital Raipur, he said.

These two battalions of SSB have been deployed in the area since 2016 exclusively for guarding the under- construction DallirajharaRowghat railway project. Dallirajhara falls in Balod district while Rowghat is in Kanker.

When one of the patrolling teams was cordoning off a forest area close to Kosranda village, a group of Naxals opened fire on security personnel, leading to the gun-battle, the police official said. The exchange of fire lasted for about one hour following which rebels escaped, he said.

"During search of the encounter site, bodies of three ultras, including a woman, and three weapons were recovered," the IG said. A huge cache of explosives was also seized from the spot, he said.

"Head Constable Aman from SSBs 33rd battalion received minor injuries in the gunfight and he has been admitted to a hospital in Antagarh," he said, adding that the jawan's condition was reported to be out of danger. The killed naxals were identified as Jyoti, Badru and Guddu, who were active as members of the Maoists' PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) company number 5, which handles activities of the banned outfit in north Bastar, the official said.

"Jyoti carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on her head, while the two other cadres were carrying rewards of Rs 5 lakh each on their heads," he said. The recovered X-95 rifle was looted by Naxals after they carried out a deadly attack on BSF troopers in Rowghat in 2018, he said.

"With this incident, seven Naxals have been killed in separate encounters with security forces in Bastar range in the last couple of weeks during the post monsoon counter- insurgency operations, the IG said.