7 Maoists shot dead: 3 in Jharkhand, 4 in Chhattisgarh
Three operatives of Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP), a banned splinter outfit of Maoists, were gunned down in a firefight in Gumla, Jharkhand, on Saturday morning, while at least four Maoists were killed in an evening encounter still on between security forces and Maoists in the dense forests of south-west Bijapur district, in Chhattisgarh's Bastar division.
Jharkhand police officers said an encounter broke out between JJMP ultras and security forces in Lawadag forest, under Ghagra police station limits, around 10 am. One AK-47 assault rifle, two Insas rifles and a country-made gun were recovered from the slain operatives.
Gumla SP Haris Bin Zaman said a police team had initiated a cordon-and-search operation based on intelligence inputs that suggested that JJMP operatives had gathered in Lawadag forest to plan an attack.
A team led by Gumla sub-divisional police officer Suresh Prasad Yadav and comprising officers from Ghagra and Bishunpur police stations began the cordon-and-search along with jawans of Jharkhand Jaguar, the state's elite anti-extremism outfit, and district police personnel.
"The ultras opened fire as soon as security forces reached the spot. Jawans fired in retaliation, killing three JJMP ultras. Two others, who were part of the group, escaped," Zaman said, adding that a search operation was in progress in the area.
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Police said one of the slain ultras was identified as Dilip Lohra of Belagada village, Gumla district, while the identities of the remaining two were being ascertained.
The gun battle in Chhattisgarh on Saturday was part of a larger anti-Naxal operation launched following specific intelligence inputs about Maoists in the region.
Bastar zone IGP P Sundarraj said, "So far, four bodies of Maoists have been recovered from the encounter site, along with a significant cache of weapons, including Insas and SLR rifles, explosive material, and daily-use items. Intermittent exchange of fire between Maoists and security forces has continued through the evening, with troops advancing cautiously through the terrain."
The identity of the killed Maoists had not been officially confirmed yet, the IGP said.
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