Three Naxalites killed in encounter with forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma

Three Naxalites, including a woman, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Thursday, police said.

The exchange of fire broke out in the morning on a forested hill under the Golapalli police station area when a team of District Reserve Guard was out on a search operation based on inputs about the presence of Maoist cadres in the area, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan told PTI.

The bodies of three Naxalites, including a woman, have been recovered from the encounter site so far, he said, adding that the operation is underway and further details are awaited.

With the latest action, 284 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year.

Of them, 255 were eliminated in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts, including Sukma, Bijapur and Dantewada, while 27 others were gunned down in Gariaband district, which falls in the Raipur division. Two Naxalites were killed in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in Durg division.