2 naxals killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

The operation was launched last night, involving CRPF and CoBRA with support from Gangaloor police

Two naxals, including a woman, were killed on Saturday in a fierce encounter with security forces in a dense forest of Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bijapur district, police said.

The encounter started at 2:50 a.m. between a joint squad of security forces and ultras in the jungles of Kotter-Kerenar under Gangaloor police station limits, a senior police official said.

The operation, involving composite forces of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) 85th battalion and CRPF's elite unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) 204th battalion with the support of Gangaloor police, was launched last night, he said.

While combing operations were underway, naxals opened fire on security forces early this morning.

Immediately security forces took position and launched retaliatory attack that forced naxals to flee from the spot, he added.

Two naxals, including a female clad in "uniform", were found dead. Two country made weapons and items of daily use were recovered from the spot, he said.

The identity of the deceased is yet to be ascertained, he added.