One naxal gunned down by security forces in C'garh

One naxal was gunned down in an exchange of fire with security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, police said.

The gunbattle was still on, they said.

"The exchange of fire broke out in the forest of Kamkanar village under Gangaloor police station limits when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-naxal operation," a local police official told PTI over phone.

As per the ground report, the body of a naxal was recovered from the spot along with a .303 rifle, he said.

"Further details are awaited as the encounter is still underway," the official added.

Security forces have intensified operations in the naxal-affected Bastar division of the state in view of the two-phase Assembly polls this month. Naxals have called upon voters to boycott the polls.

The first phase of polls covering 18 constituencies out the of eight naxal-affected districts Bastar, Kanker Sukma, Bijapur, Dantewada, Narayanpur, Kondagaon and Rajnandgaon- will be held on November 12. The remaining 72 constituencies will witness polling on November 20.