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Chhattisgarh: On Tuesday, in a joint operation by teams of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) in Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, at least 18 Naxals, including one of their top leaders, were killed. The incident comes just days before the commencement of the 2024 Lok Sabha elections.
Senior police officer IK Elesela said that the encounter is still underway in the region. The Naxal leader Shankar Rao had a reward of Rs 25 lakh on his head, police said. Official said that three soldiers were injured in the encounter were being shifted to a hospital for treatment and 18 bodies have been recovered.
Official added that a large cache of weapons including seven AK-47 rifles and three light machine guns were also recovered from the site. A senior police official said that the gunfight took place at around 2 pm in Hapatola forest between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits, when a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation.
Official informed, “As per preliminary information, at least eight Naxalites were gunned down in the encounter. A huge cache of weapons was recovered from the spot.” Police said that there is a strong possibility that the number of deaths would increase. On April 26, Residents of Kanker will vote in the second phase of polling.
