Three Naxals gunned down in Chhattisgarh

Three Naxals, including two commander rank cadres, were on Tuesday killed in a gunbattle with security forces in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar division, police said.

"While two hardcore Maoist commanders were gunned down in Narayanpur district, another rebel was killed in neighbouring Kondagaoan district early this morning," Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) SRP Kalluri told PTI.

In Naryanpur, a surgical operation was launched by District Reserve Group (DRG) based on the input that a platoon of military company (no. 6) of Maoists led by Shobhi would be coming towards Jhara police camp in Narayanpur to target Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) jawans, the IG said.

Security forces had laid an ambush near the jungles of Banspal and Toinar, located around 400 kms away from here, on the route tipped off to be followed by the Naxal party while moving toward Jhara (in Narayanpur), he said.

"On reaching the spot, about 20 armed cadres smelled the presence of security forces and opened indiscriminate fire on them prompting police to retaliate," Kalluri said, adding the exchange lasted for one hour in Narayanpur after which Naxals escaped from the place taking cover of dense forest.

During search, bodies of two Maoists identified as Tirupati alias Akash, a native of Madded in Bijapur, and Lokesh alias Ramesh from Dhaudai region of Narayanpur, were recovered from the spot, he added.

"They both were active as commanders in military company 6 of Maoists," the IG said calling the operation as "stunning" success for security forces. "Drag marks and blood stains found at the spot indicate that more Naxals were either killed or injured in the encounter but their colleagues managed to take them away from the spot," he added.

Besides, weapons and other Naxal items were also recovered during search of the area. Meanwhile, reinforcement was rushed to the spot to trace the ultras fled from the spot after the incident, the IG added.

In another incident, body of a rebel clad in uniform was recovered after an exchange of fire between a joint team of security forces and Naxals in the forest of Mardapal police station limits in Kondagaon.