At least 13 Maoist rebels killed in encounter with security forces in central India

NEW DELHI, April 3 (KUNA) -- Indian police said on Wednesday that 13 Maoist rebels were gunned down in an eight hour long encounter with the security forces in Bijapur district of central Indian state of Chhattisgarh.
The Asian News International reported quoting Inspector General of Police Bastar Range, P Sundarraj that in the encounter that lasted for eight hours 13 Maoists were killed and several others got injured.
"Chhattisgarh Police recorded one of its biggest successes in the history of anti-Naxal operations. We can now confirm that in the operation conducted by more than a thousand security forces in the Lendra and Korcholi areas of Gangalur in Bijapur district on the night of April 1 and April 2, 13 Naxals were killed. Their bodies have been recovered. We have also received reports that a large number of Naxals are seriously injured," Sundarraj was quoted as saying today. The area where the encounter took place was considered a safe haven for Maoists but 16 new camps of security forces have come up in the area in the last three months, the police said. "Separate contingents of soldiers came out from five of these camps and surrounded the Naxalites through the night. The soldiers covered a difficult journey of about 20 kms through forests and mountains overnight," and launched the operation, Sundarraj said. Maoist rebels are active in various Indian states including Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, Odisha, Bihar and Maharashtra. The banned group is waging an armed struggle for decades against the government and its developmental projects in order to establish a communist society toppling the current system which they call as semi-feudal and semi-colonial. (end) atk.aa