RAIPUR: Five Maoists were shot dead in an encounter with security forces in the Abujhmarh forests of Chhattisgarh on Saturday morning. This area borders the Kanker-Narayanpur districts of the Bastar division in Chhattisgarh.
Five automatic weapons and explosives were seized from the encounter site.
Two DRG jawans were also injured in Maoist attack, authorities reported on Saturday. The injured personnel are currently being airlifted to Raipur and their condition is stated to be stable.
Bastar range inspector general of police P Sundarraj said that the encounter is underway in the forests and gunfire is taking place at brief intervals.
He mentioned that a joint team of security personnel from the District Reserve Guards, Special Task Force, and Border Security Force went on an anti-Maoist operation after receiving specific input about the presence of Maoists in the bordering forests of Kanker and north of Abujhmarh.
While the search was ongoing, an encounter broke out between Maoists and security forces around 8 in the morning, and the gun battle continued.
Security forces have recovered five Naxal bodies along with weapons and explosives and their identification is pending.
Further details will surface soon, he said.
Recently, security forces recovered the bodies of three Naxalites, including one carrying a cash reward of Rs 8 lakh, in Bijapur district.