Nineteen Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh encounter with security forces. Manoj, a member of the Central Committee, and Guddu, a member of the Special Zonal Committee, were among those killed.
Chhattisgarh Naxal Encounter: On Monday, an encounter between security forces and Naxalites in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh resulted in the recovery of 19 Naxalite bodies. The search operation is still underway, and more bodies are expected to be found. The Naxalites are intermittently engaging in retaliatory firing, complicating the situation.
Encounter Site and Search Operation
Security forces launched a search operation on Monday evening in the Bhalu Diggi forest near Kulhadi Ghat in the Manpur police station area. During this operation, 19 Naxalite bodies were found, including Manoj, a prominent leader from Odisha, and Guddu, a member of the Special Zonal Committee.
Prominent Names Among the Killed Naxalites
Among the killed Naxalites, the most prominent names are Manoj, a member of the Central Committee, and Guddu. Manoj carried a reward of one crore rupees and was a key leader in Odisha. Guddu had a reward of 25 lakh rupees on his head. Similarly, Jayram, alias Chalpati, another Naxalite with a one crore rupee reward, was also killed in the encounter. Female Naxalites were also involved in the encounter and are currently being identified.
Weapons Recovered from Naxalites
Following the encounter, security forces recovered SLR rifles and automatic weapons from the Naxalites. Officials stated that detailed information will be provided after the completion of the search operation.
Security Forces Involved in the Search Operation
A joint team comprising personnel from E30, Cobra 207, and CRPF 65 and 211 battalions was deployed for the search operation. Additionally, the SOG Nuapada also participated in the operation.
First Day of the Encounter
On the first day of the encounter on Monday, security forces killed two Naxalites. One Cobra battalion soldier was injured in this encounter. The injured soldier was airlifted to Raipur in critical condition but is now stable. Three IEDs and an automatic rifle were also recovered from the encounter site.
