Encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bastar: Death toll of Naxalites reaches 5

The number of Naxalites killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region has gone up to five with the recovery of one more body, police said on Monday.

The gunfight broke out on Saturday evening at a forest in south Abujhmaad along the border of Narayanpur and Dantewada districts when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, an official said.

Four Naxalites were found dead initially on Sunday, while one more body was recovered later, he said.

With this, the number of Naxalites killed in the gun battle with the security personnel has risen to five, including two women, the official said.

District Reserve Guard (DRG) head constable Sannu Karam was also killed in the gunfight.

Search operation was still underway in the area, the official said.

Personnel belonging to the DRG from four districts - Narayanpur, Bastar, Kondagaon and Dantewada - and the Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation that was launched on Friday, he said.

The identity of the killed Naxalites was yet to be ascertained.

As per preliminary information, senior cadres of the PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) platoon no. 32 of Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee of Maoists are among the deceased, the official said.

Automatic weapons, including AK-47 rifle and self loading rifle (SLR), were recovered from the spot, he said.

On January 3, a Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces in Gariaband district which falls in Raipur division.

Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in the state, according to police.