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Naxals at a forest in Chhattisgarhâs Bijapur district, a top police officer said. According to the police, some Maoists are also suspected to have been killed during the exchange of fire. PTI file
Raipur, April 3
Five security personnel were killed and 12 others injured on Saturday in an encounter with Naxals in a forest along the border between Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh, police officials said.
The body of a woman Maoist was also recovered from the encounter spot, they said.
A senior police officer claimed, prima facie, Maoists have suffered a “huge loss” in the gunfight.
“Separate joint teams of security forces, over 2,000 in number, had launched a major anti-Naxal operation from Bijapur and Sukma districts in the South Bastar forests, considered as the Maoist stronghold, on Friday night,” state’s Deputy Inspector General (anti-naxal operations) OP Pal said.