Naxalite killed in encounter, 2 DRGs injured in IED blast in Chhattisgarh

A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Wednesday, police said.

Two security personnel also sustained injuries in an improvised explosive device (IED) blast triggered by Naxalites during the same operation, they said. The gunfight took place in a forest of Munga village under Gangloor police station area when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a police official here said.  The operation was launched based on inputs about the presence of Maoists' divisional committee member Dinesh Modiam, company no. 2 commander Vella and other leaders along with 30-40 cadres in Munga area, he said. The exchange of fire broke out when the patrolling team was cordoning off the area, he said.  After the gunfight stopped, the body of a Naxalite, one 9 mm pistol, one IED, six remote switches used to trigger IEDs and other Maoist-related material were recovered from the spot, he said. "During the operation, the Naxalites triggered a blast causing minor injuries to two DRG personnel," he said. The injured security personnel have been shifted to a local hospital, he said, adding that the search operation was still underway in the area.