RAIPUR:In one of the largest operations by security forces in Chhattisgarh, as many as 29 Naxalites have been killed and their bodies were recovered on Tuesday in the Kanker area. This figure can go up as the search operation is still on, Chhattisgarh Police said.
Of the 29 Maoists, more than a dozen were women who were wielding deadly weapons and trying to protect the men when forces attacked them.
Three security personnel, including two Border Security Force jawans and one personnel of the state police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), have suffered injuries.
According to officials, if the figure crosses 30 casualties from the Naxals’ side, this would be the largest operation by forces in the past 10 years.
Before this, Greyhound commandos had eliminated 30 Naxalites in an operation in 2016. In another operation in 2021, top Naxal leader Milind Teltumbde along with 25 others was eliminated.
However, this would be the first operation in which a large number of Naxals were eliminated with no casualties from the security forces’ side.
“On April 16, a search operation by a joint team comprising of Kanker DRG and BSF was launched in the Chhottebetiya police station limit area in Kanker district. At around 2 pm, there was an exchange of fire between Maoists and security forces near Binagunda-Koragutta jungles of the Chhottebetiya Police station area,” Chhatisgarh police said.
“After the encounter, the area was searched and 29 Naxals dead bodies along with a huge cache of AK 47 rifle, INSAS, SLR/Carbine, .303 rifles and huge quantities of arms ammunitions recovered from the spot,” it said.
Three jawans, who were injured in the operation, are out of danger.
Officials said that so far 3 SLRs, 1 AK-47, 2 pistols, and 2 INSAS have been recovered