Naxal killed during encounter with security forces in Bijapur

A Naxal was killed during an encounter with security forces at a village market in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh Saturday, police said. The exchange of fire was triggered by an attack on a police jawan by a group of Naxals, leaving him injured, they said.

The gunfight took place at Cherpal village under Bijapur police station limits when a team of security personnel was patrolling to ensure protection to the weekly market held there, a local police official told PTI.

As per preliminary information, a small action team of Naxalites attacked the jawan with sharp-edged weapons, leaving him injured. This led his colleagues to open fire on the ultras, he said. As a large number of villagers were present in the market, about 450 km from state capital Raipur, security personnel retaliated cautiously, the official said.

In the exchange of fire, one naxal was killed, while others managed to escape, he said. On getting information about the encounter, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured jawan was shifted to a local hospital, the official said. The identity of the slain Naxal was yet to be ascertained, he said. A combing operation has been launched in the area to trace the rebels, the official added.