Maoist killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district

RAIPUR: A Maoist was killed in an encounter with security forces of neighbouring Odisha and Chhattisgarh in forests of Gariaband district on Friday. The encounter is still on and police officials indicate a rise in Maoist casualty.

Officials said that security personnel have recovered one maoist body along with automatic weapons from the site of encounter.

According to preliminary information, an encounter broke out between Maoists and security forces in forests of Sornamal in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district on Friday morning.

“A joint team of CRPF, District Reserve Guards, Special Task Force and Odisha’s Special Operation Group (SOG) from Nuapada, comprising 300 troops in total, had started from respective camps on Thursday night to launch a massive operation in Sornamal forest. There were specific inputs about presence of Maoists in the region and the troops successfully rounded them up,” Gariaband Superintendent of police Nikhil Rakhechatold TOI.

SP said that he was monitoring the situation and in touch with the security forces. He told reporters that there’s possibility of more Maoist killings and details would be divulged once the jawans are back to base.

Gariaband district falls in Raipur range and is located about 100 kms from the state capital. Though it has been a Maoist infested district, it’s terrain and forests are mostly used by Maoist to move from one place to another.