Security personnel have gunned down a woman Maoist in insurgency-hit Bastar district of Chhattisgarh. Recently, police have busted a supply chain of rebels in the region with the arrest of seven persons, including a mining engineer and recovered major haul of explosives.
A joint team of District Reserve Group (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) have gunned down a woman Naxal in Darbha region and recovered two firearms from the spot, said Bastar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Yadav, around 25 villagers held hostage by Naxals were also rescued from the spot. The slain Naxal has been identified as Piso, a resident of village Jheeram, he said.
Based on recoveries and blood stains spotted at the site of encounter, which took place in forest close to village Chandameta falling in limits of Darbha police station late on Tuesday evening, it is being anticipated that insurgents may have suffered major damage in the gun battle, said Bastar Superintendent of Police (SP) Ajay Yadav, adding that most probably six to seven rebels have been killed in the incident.
According to Yadav, following a tip-off that ultras have held villagers in large number hostage and took them in dense forest area to reportedly conduct ‘Jan Adalat’ (people’s court), security personnel were mobilized towards Chandameta. Sensing the presence of security personnel in the region, Maoists opened indiscriminate firing after which the forces launched a retaliatory action. Unable to withstand the heavy retaliatory firing started by troopers, the insurgents fled the spot.
While undertaking search at the spot after encounter which lasted for around 4 hours, security personnel recovered the body of woman Naxal in uniform, two firearms and other articles, he said, adding that villagers have been rescued safely.