RAIPUR: Two Naxals, allegedly involved in the killing of a BJP MLA and four security personnel, were killed in a gun-battle with the security forces near the forested terrain of Duwalikarka in conflict-ridden Dantewada district, south Chhattisgarh, on Thursday morning.
One jawan sustained bullet injury in an exchange of fire and has been rushed to the district hospital.
“On a tip-off a 20-member team of Dantewada district reserve guard (DRG) left on search operation early morning. Close to the remote forested landscape the rebels, whose strength were nine, opened fire on the troopers who retaliated the attack. In the ensuing encounter two bodies of the naxals, in uniform, were recovered from the spot. One jawan and a naxal were injured. Both were admitted in the district hospital. Their conditions are out of danger”, Abhishek Pallava, the Dantewada superintendent of police, who reached the encounter site, told the Express.
The gunfight continued for over an hour at around 5.15 am today.
One of the Maoist killed in the attack has been identified as Verghese, cited to be an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) expert and carried an award of Rs 5 lakh. He was the member of Malangir Area Committee of the Maoist. Another is Joga, a member of Katekalyan Area Committee and an award of Rs 3 lakh was declared on him.
The killed cadres were allegedly involved in the ambush in which Mandavi and his four security personnel were killed on April 9, Pallava further added.
The MLA's convoy was heading towards Kuwakonda from Bacheli area when the Naxalites blew up their vehicle with an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) and opened fire at the occupants.
Vargese was also looking after working of the banned outfit's students' wing in the area, the DIG said.
There were inputs received by the Dantewada police about the Maoists holding a meeting in forested Dhanikarka and Duwalikarka in the district, following which the DRG team were sent on the operation.
Dantewada is among the seven Maoist-affected districts in strife-torn Bastar zone where the banned CPI (Maoist) are waging a war against the state for over three decades now.
(With PTI Inputs)