Major Victory: 12 Naxalites Killed in Gadchiroli Encounter

Twelve Naxalites, including three senior cadres, were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, police confirmed on Thursday. The operation, which targeted the Korchi-Tipagad and Chatgaon-Kasansur Dalams, resulted in the elimination of key members carrying a total bounty of Rs 86 lakh.

The firefight, which lasted nearly six hours, began after police received credible information about the presence of the Naxalites near the Chhattisgarh border. Seven units of the anti-Maoist C-60 squad, led by Deputy Superintendent of Police Vishal Nagargoje, were dispatched immediately.

Following the exchange of gunfire, a search unearthed the bodies of seven male and five female Maoists along with a cache of weapons and explosives. According to SP Neelotpal, the operation significantly diminished Maoist strength in north Gadchiroli.

(With inputs from agencies.)