Security Forces Engage Naxals in Fierce Gunbattle
NEW DELHI: At least 16 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday. Two jawans sustained minor injuries during the operation.
SP Sukma Kiran Chavan confirmed that the operation is still ongoing in the Upampalli Kerlapal forest, near the Sukma-Dantewada border.
Joint Anti-Maoist Operation Launched on Intelligence Inputs
A joint anti-Maoist operation by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) led to an intense exchange of fire on Friday. Officials revealed that security forces launched the mission based on specific intelligence about Naxal presence in the Kerlapal area under Sukma police station limits.
Security personnel began their search operation on March 28, with intermittent gunfire continuing since the early hours of March 29. Meanwhile, forces are conducting a thorough sweep of the encounter site and nearby forested areas.
Maoist Threat Persists in Bastar Region
Sukma remains one of the worst-affected districts in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, which has witnessed multiple Maoist attacks in recent years.
In a separate incident on Friday, an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites detonated in Narayanpur district, injuring a jawan. He has been hospitalized and is currently recovering.
