Naxal killed in face off with police, weapons seized

A Naxal was killed and a cache of arms, ammunition and electronic gadgets recovered in two separate gun-battles between security personnel and Naxals in the insurgency-hit Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh.

The Naxal cadre was gunned down by the joint squad of the state's DRG (district reserve group) force and STF (Special Task Force) during a search operation in the forest stretch under Narayanpur police station limits on Sunday evening, Narayanpur Sub-Divisional Officer of Police CD Tirki told reporters over phone in Raipur on Monday.

On sensing the security personnel near restive Korobeda village forests, the Naxals opened indiscriminate fire on them following which they retaliated.

After the gunfight, that lasted for around an hour, the ultras fled deep into the forest taking advantage of the dark, he said.

Later, the body of a slain Naxal was recovered from the spot. Besides, two 12 bore guns, a grenade, Naxal literature and commodities of daily use were also seized, he said.

The SDOP claimed that two more Naxals were killed in the exchange of fire but their bodies were not recovered as their colleagues managed to take them away inside the forests.

The deceased was identified as Darbari (26), a divisional committee member of the CPI(Maoist), he said.

In another incident, a .312 bore gun, a 12 bore gun, live cartridges of 12 bore gun, couple of detonators, wire, a camera flash, a walkie-talkie and commodities of daily use were seized from a Naxal transit hideout after the encounter under Dhaudai police station limits of Narayanpur on Sunday.

The exchange of fire took place between the joint party of CAF (Chhattisgarh Armed Force) and district force (DF), and the Naxals in the forests of Rengabeda village during a combing operation, Tirki said, adding, "no injuries or casualties were reported from both sides in the incident."

According to the SDOP, separate groups of security personnel were on anti-Naxal operations in the restive forests of Narayanpur since the evening of May 10 and returned to camps on Monday afternoon.