Two Maoists killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Kanker

In yet another encounter, ensued in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district, the security forces has gunned down two Maoists on Thursday. The face-off took place last night at Tadoki area of Chhattisgarh's Kanker when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Maoist operation, according to Deputy Inspector General (DIGP, Anti-Naxal Operations) P Sundarraj. Following the exchange of fire, bodies of two Maoists, along with huge cache of arms and ammunition, were recovered from the spot.

Speaking to the news agency ANI, Sundarraj said, "Two Naxals were killed in an exchange of fire with District Reserve Guards in Tadoki, Kanker last night. Arms and ammunition recovered".

P Sundarraj, DIGP Anti-Naxal Operations: Two Naxals were killed in an exchange of fire with District Reserve Guards in Tadoki, Kanker last night. Arms & ammunition recovered. #Chhattisgarh

— ANI (@ANI) June 14, 2019

As per the media reports, the patrolling team had launched a cordon and search operation following certain inputs about the presence of Maoists in and around Kanker. In the meantime, the group of ultras open fired at the forces, trigerring a gun battle between both the sides. However, no harm was reported to the security personnel in the gunfight. Search operation was still underway in the area when the last reports came in.

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Meanwhile, constable Sunil Kalita of CoBRA 209 who on May 29 sustained injures in an IED blast during another anti-maoist operations in Jharkhand's Saraikela, has been succumbed to his injuries on Thursday night. Kalita was undergoing medical treatment at Delhi AIIMS. 

Hailed from Assam's Kamrup district, Kalita had joined the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in 2011. He was selected to join the CoBRA unit in 2016 and deployed for anti-Maoist operations in Jharkhand. Apart from him, fourteen other CoBRA and police personnel were injured in the incident. COBRA or Commando Battalion for Resolute Action is a specialised unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) of India proficient in guerrilla tactics and jungle warfare.

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The operations against the red rebels have been very successful over the last few months with several Maoists killed in over 20 encounters in the year 2019. Areas that suffer the Maoist insurgency most include Andhra Pradesh, Bihar, Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Madhya Pradesh, Maharashtra, Odisha, Telangana, and West Bengal and some of the eastern Uttar Pradesh states.