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Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces on Saturday morning in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, one of which had a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
Bijapur: Three Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces on Saturday morning in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, one of which had a reward of Rs 5 lakh. This was the first encounter in the state after Union Home Minister Amit Shah’s appeal from Naxalites to lay down arms and join the mainstream last week.
Inspector General of Police (IG) of Bastar Range, Sundararaj P, said that at around 9 am on Saturday morning, a wild hill in Indravati National Park area was firing when a joint team of security personnel took out on an anti -Naxal campaign. The official said that the police of District Reserve Guard (DRG) units of Bijapur and Dantewada districts were involved in the 202nd and 210th Battalion jawans of the Jawan, Commando Battalion for Rejolute Action, a special work force (STF) and a specific unit of Cobra (CRPF).
One of the three Maoist cadres was identified as Anil Punem
He said that the bodies of three Naxalites were later recovered from the spot. IG said that a 12 -bore rifle, single shot rifle and some other weapons and explosives have also been seized. He said that one of the three Maoist cadres killed has been identified as Anil Punem, a member of the Area Committee and the Commander of Matwara LOS (local organization squad). There was a reward of five lakh rupees on Punem.
Sundararaj told that in January, there was the mastermind of the explosion by Maoists near Ambeli village of Bijapur. On 6 January, Naxalites blew up a vehicle using the improvised explosive device (IED) weighing 60 to 70 kg, killing eight security personnel and their civilian drivers near Ambeli village. The official said that the other two cadres have not been identified yet.
With the latest operation, 138 Naxalites have been killed in different encounters in the state so far this year. Of them, 122 ended in Bastar division including seven districts including Bijapur. Speaking in Dantewada on 5 April, Union Minister Shah said that Naxalites are “our own people” and no one is happy when they are killed.
Also read: Chhattisgarh News: Security forces succeed in Chhattisgarh, 16 Naxalites in encounter
