PTC News Desk: Nine Maoists were killed in a fierce encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Tuesday. The confrontation erupted around 6 am in a forest near Lendra village, as a joint team of security forces conducted an anti-Naxal operation.
The operation saw the deployment of personnel from various units, including the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA). In the aftermath of the encounter, security forces seized several automatic weapons, including a light machine gun, along with other arms. A thorough search operation is currently underway in the area.
Bijapur, situated in the Bastar region, remains a notorious stronghold of Maoist insurgents. According to PTI reports citing police sources, this year alone, 41 Naxalites have been neutralised in separate encounters with security forces in the Bastar region.
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The timing of the encounter is significant, occurring just days before the Lok Sabha elections. The Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, where Bijapur is located, is scheduled to vote in the first phase on April 19. Naxalite activities typically intensify from March onwards, coinciding with their Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC). During this period, the Bastar region frequently witnesses attacks on security personnel.
This recent encounter follows a similar incident last month, wherein six Naxalites were eliminated in a clash with security forces in the Basaguda area of Bijapur.
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(Inputs from agencies)