Naxalite gunned down in encounter with police in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: A Naxalite was today gunned down by security forces during an encounter in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Bastar district.

The skirmish took place this morning in Kapnar village forest under Pakhnar police outpost of Darbha area, Bastar Additional Superintendent of Police Vijay Pandey said.

A joint squad of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF), District Reserve Group (DRG) and district police had launched a combing operation in the area surrounding Pakhnar since early this morning, he said.

As they were cordoning-off a forested hill between Kapnar and Toynar, a group of armed cadres opened indiscriminate fire on them, prompting the security forces to retaliate.

However, the ultras soon fled from the spot as the security forces zeroed-in on them, Pandey said.

Later, during a search of the place, the body of a rebel clad in 'uniform' and a weapon were recovered from the spot, he said.

The identity of the Naxal will be known once the police team returns to its camp, he added.