31 Maoists killed, two jawans die in encounter at Bijapur in Chattisgarh

RAIPUR: 31 Maoists were gunned down in an encounter between security forces and Maoists in Chattisgarh’s Bijapur district. Two security personnel were killed in the encounter. Two soldiers sustained injuries. The encounter is ongoing in the inner forest, which is part of the Indravati National Park. The CRPF and the anti-Maoist wing of the Chhattisgarh Police jointly conducted a search operation at the spot.

The security forces had initially said that 12 Maoists were killed. However, Bastar IG P Sundararaj informed that the number of Maoists killed had risen to 31. The jawans dead were from the district reserve guard and the special task force.

The encounter began in the early hours of Sunday morning. Security forces reached the area and launched a search operation following information about the presence of Maoists. On January 31, eight Maoists had been killed by security forces in an encounter in Bijapur district itself.

The operation was launched on Friday after receiving information about the presence of Maoists from the 'West Bastar Division' organization. The operation involved the District Reserve Guard, the Special Task Force of the state police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and Cobra (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), the Bastar IG said.