A fierce gun battle erupted on May 23 in a forested area near Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, resulting in the death of at least seven Maoist insurgents. The clash occurred as part of a joint operation launched by security forces in collaboration with the police forces of Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada, according to officials familiar with the operation.
Authorities revealed that police forces also managed to confiscate seven weapons and various materials from the scene of the encounter. The skirmish, described as intense, persisted well into the late evening, with the identities of the deceased Maoists yet to be confirmed.
The confrontation commenced around 11 am within the forested terrain bordering Bijapur and Narayanpur districts, as stated in a press release issued by the Narayanpur police. Approximately 1000 security personnel hailing from Bastar, Narayanpur, and Dantewada districts were actively engaged in the operation.
"A joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada, alongside the Special Task Force (STF), had embarked on an anti-Naxal operation following specific intelligence regarding Maoist leaders of Platoon number 16 of CPI (Maoist) and members of the Indrawati Area Committee," the statement delineated.
The operation took place within the dense confines of the Abujhmaad forest, situated at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada districts, symbolizing a crucial battleground in the fight against left-wing extremism.
"Narayanpur police recovered the bodies of two Maoists in the initial hours of the morning, while later in the evening, Dantewada police, under the leadership of Deputy Superintendent of Police (DSP) Rahul Uike and DSP Ashish Netam, discovered five additional bodies," elaborated Rai, a senior police official. He further noted the recovery of five weapons, although the caliber of these arms remains to be determined.