Maharashtra: CRPF jawan killed, 2 injured in encounter with Maoists in Gadchirroli

A CRPF trooper was killed and two other jawans suffered serious injuries during an encounter between joint security forces and CPI-Maoist cadres in border areas of Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh. 

According to police, joint operation including 113 Bn of CRPF and Maharashtra Police was launched on Sunday late evening at Talwargarh forest in Maharashtra’s Gadchirroli district on intelligence inputs. 

A senior official of CRPF said, “The Maoists opened fired at the combing party. The team took their position and retaliated. Several rounds of bullet were exchanged between the security forces and Naxal cadres.”

He added the Maoists managed to flee in the dense forest taking benefit of the dark. 

A senior officer of Maharashtra Police said, “Search and combing operations were relaunched after a few hours to nab the Naxals who engaged security forces in a gunbattle.”

He added, “In the early hours of Monday, the joint party cornered the Maoist troop. A fierce gunbattle started between security forces and Naxals. A CRPF trooper was killed and two others suffered injuries in the encounter.”

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The deceased CRPF trooper has been identified as Manjunath Jakkanavar, 31-year-old, a resident of Karnataka’s Dharwad. 

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The police officer said, “After the encounter was over we found blood spots at the encounter site. We believe several Maoist cadres have suffered bullet injuries or have been killed. Villagers also reported that they saw several Naxals cadres being carried away on shoulders.”