6 CRPF men, 13 Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Six CRPF personnel and 13 Maoists were killed in separate encounters in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday afternoon.
IG (Bastar range) R K Vij said three head constables and three constables were gunned down by the ultras in the hills of Tadkel. Police found the bodies of 13 Naxalites later, he added. A 60-strong CRPF party was on a search mission in the area when it encountered Naxalites who were laying an ambush in the forest in Tadkel.
"There were about 300 ultras," Vij said. The Maoists took with them the guns of the CRPF jawans killed in the encounter, he said.
Additional security personnel who rushed to the area were involved in an exchange of fire with the ultras, the IG added. "The Naxals outnumbered our forces, but the jawans put up a strong fight," Vij said.
DGP Vishwaranjan said 10 Maoists were killed in the second encounter in the Adesmetta forest, 6 km from Tadkel. "The casualties on the other side could be more. We have lost communication with our forces on the ground," Vishwaranjan said.