Naxalite killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur, rifle seized

A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Tuesday morning, a senior police official said.

The face off took place at around 6 am in a forest near Bandepara village under Madded police station limits, when a joint team of personnel from different security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

The operation was launched by personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighter, both units of state police, Special Task Force and the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) 170th battalion.

They had inputs about the presence of senior Naxalites, including Madded area committee of Maoists in-charge Nagesh, its secretary Buchanna, member Vishwanath along with 15-20 armed cadres, in Koranjed-Bandepara forests, the official said.

After the exchange of fire stopped, the body of a Naxalite and an AK-47 rifle were recovered from the spot, he said.

The identity of the killed Naxalite was yet to be ascertained, the official said, adding that search was still underway in nearby areas.

Bijapur is among the 20 assembly constituencies which will go to polls in the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections on November 7.