Chhattisgarh: 12 Maoists Neutralised By Security Forces In Indravati National Park Encounter, Two Jawans Killed

Twelve Maoists were eliminated in an encounter with security forces at Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.

Two security forces personnel were also killed during the encounter.

The gun battle started after a joint team of security forces, after getting information on the presence of Maoists in a specific area of the park, headed towards the location.

Bastar Range Inspector General of Police, Sundarraj P, confirmed that the jawans killed in the encounter were from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) – state-level forces that specialise in anti-Maoist operations, Indian Express reported.

“Two other jawans have suffered injuries and a helicopter is taking off to evacuate them to Raipur for treatment,” an official was quoted as saying in the IE report.

In an earlier statement on Sunday (9 February) morning, police confirmed ongoing intermittent firing and suggested the likelihood of Maoist casualties.

“On Sunday, intermittent firing took place, and the firing is going on. There is a possibility that some Naxals have died in the firing. Our search operations are on," the police was quoted as saying in the statement by IE.

The latest operation marks the second encounter in Indravati National Park this year, following a 12 January incident in which three Maoists were killed.

Indravati National Park, which borders Maharashtra and covers 2,799.08 square kilometers, is considered a Maoist stronghold.

The park, adjacent to Abujhmad, was designated a tiger reserve in 1983.

As many as 62 Maoists have been killed in encounters, and 11 jawans also lost their lives fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh so far this year.

At least nine civilians, including five from Bijapur, have been killed by Maoists this year.

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