Security forces have killed at least 10 Maoists in a firefight that broke out after a training camp of terrorists situated deep inside the Abujhmad forest in Bijapur district was raided following a tip-off, reports TOI.

This is the first encounter of such scale which has taken place in Chhattisgarh since the Congress government has come to power in the state. The last major operation took place on 26 November 2018 in which nine communist terrorists were eliminated in Sukma.

The death toll for the Maoists in the past three years in Chattisgarh is 336, with 124 of the rebels being liquidated in just the last year.

Reinforcement personnel have moved in to secure the dead bodies and bring back the combat team safe to base.

The operation was initiated after security forces received an intelligence input about the presence of Maoist divisional committee members Maad Rajman Mandavi and Sukhlal, along with 40-50 foot soldiers, in the area.

Following an overnight march, the force headed by sub-inspectors Sunil Tirkey, Yaman Dewangan and Piluram Mandavi reached the spot where the camp was located; the rebels were found to be carrying out training exercises at the time.

“The Maoists fired on the forces triggering a fierce encounter in the forests of Takilod, north of Indravati river in Abujhmad area of Bijapur,” said DGP (anti-Naxalite operations) D M Awasthi. The fighting took place in phases of two encounters. After the end of the fierce firefight, several IED blasts also took place.