DANTEWADA (Chhattisgarh), Jan 5: On Sunday, a senior police official announced that four Naxalites were killed during an encounter with security forces in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.
A head constable from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) also lost his life in the confrontation, according to the official.
This gunfight erupted on Saturday evening in a forest within south Abujhmaad, along the border between Narayanpur and Dantewada districts, when a combined team from the DRG and the Special Task Force (STF) was conducting an anti-Naxalite operation, the official reported.
Following the cessation of gunfire late Saturday night, authorities recovered the bodies of four Naxalites and various automatic weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and a self-loading rifle (SLR), from the site, he added.
The head constable of the DRG, Sannu Karam, was also confirmed deceased during the skirmish, with ongoing search operations still active in the area.
The anti-Naxalite mission, which included DRG units from Narayanpur, Dantewada, Kondagaon, and Bastar districts, was initiated on Friday.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai stated on Sunday that efforts would persist to eradicate the Naxal threat.
“Reports indicate that four Naxalites have been killed in encounters with security forces in the south Abujhmaad region that borders Narayanpur and Dantewada districts,” Sai shared in a post on X.
He expressed sorrow over the death of the policeman involved in the gunfight.
“DRG head constable Sannu Karam was also martyred in this confrontation. His sacrifice will not be overlooked. Our security forces have been vigorously combating Naxalism, and this battle will continue until the threat is fully eliminated,” he asserted.
Previously, on January 3, another Naxalite was killed during an encounter with security forces in Gariaband district, which is part of the Raipur division.
According to police records, 219 Naxalites were neutralized by security forces in various encounters throughout the state last year.
The Bastar region of the state includes seven districts, encompassing both Dantewada and Narayanpur. (PTI)
