Chhattisgarh: 3 naxals killed in joint operation by ITBP, police in Rajnandgaon

Three Naxals were killed in a joint operation by in a joint operation by ITBP and Chhattisgarh police in a forest of Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Rajnandgaon district at around 10 pm on Wednesday, police said.

While speaking to news agency PTI, Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said that the skirmish took place at around 10 pm in the forest of Kopenkadka village under Khadgaon police station limits when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoist operation.

The joint operation was launched in the interiors of Manpur, around 200 km away from the state capital, Raipur.

When the patrolling team was advancing through the jungles of Kopenkadka, it came under heavy fire that led to gun-battle between the two sides, Agrawal said.

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However, ultras soon escaped into the deep forest on finding security personnel zeroing on them, he added.

Bodies of three ultras along with three automatic weapons, including one AK 47 rifle, one Insas rifle and one SLR rifle, were recovered from the sport during a search operation.

The Naxals were identified as Mahesh, an area committee member (ACM), Rakesh, ACM and Pallemadi LOS Commander and Ranjit, Pallemadi LOS deputy commander, the SP said.

Mahesh and Rakesh were carrying rewards of Rs 5 lakh each on their heads, while Ranjit was carrying Rs 3 lakh reward.

They all hailed from Bastar region of the state and more details are awaited, he added.

(With PTI inputs)

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