3 killed, 14 security personnel injured in Maoist encounter in Bastar

Three soldiers from paramilitary forces were killed and 14 others were injured in an encounter with Maoists along the border of Sukma and Bijapur districts in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, a senior police officer said.

Police said that the exact number of injured personnel is yet to be ascertained and rescue operations were going on.

The Bastar police in a statement said that the incident took place near Tekalgudem village when a joint team of security personnel was out on a search operation.

“On Monday, a new camp of security personnel was set up in Tekalgudem, a Maoist stronghold. After setting up the camp, the personnel belonging to Special Task Force, District Reserve Guard and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA- a jungle warfare unit of CRPF) was carrying out search in nearby Jonaguda-Aliguda villages when Maoists opened fire and encounter started,” said Inspector General of Police, Sunderaj P.

The injured jawans were being evacuated out of the forest, he added.

“ We are waiting for more details of the encounter,” the IG said.

Anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh have increased since November 2023, and it were the highest in November and December last year, according to state police data.

Police data accessed by HT shows that there were only four anti-Maoist operations in July and August, which dropped to two in September and October. However, the number increased to 12 in November, and nine operations were conducted in December 2023.

According to the officials aware of the matter, the highest number of Maoists arrested in a month in 2023 was in December when 59 ultras were arrested by the security forces and prior to this, it was in July when 15 rebels were arrested. In all, 173 Maoists were arrested between July and December 2023, while 12 were killed in gunfights with the security forces.