Chattisgarh: Naxalite killed in encounter with security forces

 A Naxalite was killed in an exchange of fire with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on May 18, police confirmed.

According to a police official, the gunfight occurred in the morning on a forested hill between Tolnai and Tetrai villages, where a team of security personnel was conducting an anti-Naxal operation.

"The operation was launched on Friday night, May 17, based on inputs about the presence of Naxalites in the area," the official stated. "After the exchange of fire ceased, the body of a Naxalite, a muzzle-loading gun, and a cache of explosives were recovered from the spot."

The identity of the deceased Naxalite is yet to be ascertained, the official added, noting that a search operation is still underway in nearby areas.

This incident marks the 105th Naxalite casualty this year in separate encounters with security forces in the state. On May 10, a total of 12 Naxalites were killed in an encounter in Bijapur district.

In earlier confrontations, ten Naxalites, including three women, were killed in a face-off in a forest along the border of Narayanpur and Kanker districts on April 30. Additionally, on April 16, 29 Naxalites were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Kanker district, police reported.