Gariaband, Jan 21: Security forces reported the elimination of at least 12 Naxalites during an encounter in the Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh on Tuesday.
On Monday, two female Naxalites were killed, and one CoBRA jawan sustained injuries in a related encounter, authorities revealed.
According to an official, further gunfire erupted late Monday night and continued into early Tuesday morning in a forest area near the Mainpur police station, resulting in the deaths of 12 additional Naxalites.
The operation involved a collaborative effort from security teams including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), CoBRA units from Chhattisgarh, and the Special Operation Group (SOG) from Odisha.
The mission commenced on January 19, prompted by intelligence regarding the presence of Maoists in the Kularighat reserve forest, located just 5 km from the border of Nuapada district in Odisha.
During the operation on Monday, two female Naxalites were neutralized, and a significant stash of firearms, ammunition, and improvised explosive devices (IEDs), including a self-loading rifle, was recovered from the site of the encounter, the official stated.
There may be a further increase in the number of Maoist casualties, he indicated. (PTI)
