Five security personnel died and around 10 others injured in an exchange of fire with Naxals in Bijapur

Chhattisgarh: Five soldiers were killed and 12 others were injured in an encounter between security forces and Naxalites on Saturday in the border area of ​​Naxal-affected Bijapur and Sukma district of Chhattisgarh. According to police officials, the security forces have recovered the body of a female Naxalite from the spot. Deputy Inspector General of Police OP Pal of the state's anti-Naxal operation told PTI-language that five security forces personnel were killed and 12 other soldiers were injured in the encounter.

Pal said that on Friday night, a joint team of Central Reserve Police Force's Cobra Battalion, DRG and STF from Bijapur and Sukma District were dispatched in the anti-Naxal operation. He said that about two thousand soldiers were involved in anti-Naxal operations from Tarrem, Usur and Pameed in Bijapur district and Minapa and Narasapuram in Sukma district.

The police officer said that at around 12 noon on Saturday afternoon, there was an encounter between the PLGA battalion of Naxalites and security forces of Tarrem near Jonaguda village under Jagargunda police station area of ​​Sukma district on the border of Bijapur-Sukma district. The encounter lasted for more than three hours.

According to the information received so far, one jawan of Cobra battalion, two soldiers of Bastaria battalion and two personnel of DRG have died in the encounter. During this 12 jawans have been injured. The police officer said that the security forces have recovered the body of a female Naxalite from the spot. Naxalites are also reported to have suffered a lot in the encounter.

He said that Director General of Police DM Awasthi, Special Director General Naxal Operations and Indian Air Force Task Force Commander and other officers are present at the police headquarters to evacuate the injured and review the situation.

Earlier, the state's Director General of Police DM Awasthi had informed about the encounter in the Tarrem area of ​​Bijapur district and the martyrdom of five soldiers and some of the jawans injured during this period. On March 23, Naxalites blew up a bus in a landmine in Narayanpur district. In this incident, five DRG personnel were killed in the bus.