Six women among 9 Maoists gunned down

Dantewada: Nine Naxalites, including six women, were killed in a fierce encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region on Tuesday, a top police official said, in the latest offensive against Maoists which has gathered pace after a change of government last year.

The gunfight broke out at around 10:30 am in forests along the border of Dantewada and Bijapur districts when a joint team of security forces was out on anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj P told PTI. Personnel belonging to the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters and 111th and 230th battalions of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) were involved in the operation.

The operation was launched on Monday night based on inputs about the presence of cadres belonging to Maoists' PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) Company No. 2, west Bastar and Darbha division on the hills of inter-district border, he said.

The exchange of fire between Naxalites and security personnel took place multiple times in forests near Lohagaon, Purangel and Andri villages under the Kirandul Police Station area (Dantewada district). After the guns fell silent, bodies of nine Naxalites, including six women -- all clad in 'uniform' -- were recovered from the spot, informed the senior IPS officer.