india

Updated: Apr 15, 2019 11:31 IST

Three suspected Maoists and a soldier of the seventh battalion of CRPF were killed in an encounter between security personnel and the CPI (Maoists) at Bhatakta village under Bhelwa Ghati police station limits in Giridih district on Monday morning.

Confirming the encounter, CRPF inspector general, Sanjay A Lathkar said while three Maoists were killed in the encounter a soldier was also martyred in the exchange of fire.

Sources said that the encounter took place on Monday morning when the security forces were patrolling the area as part of anti-Maoist operations ahead of the elections. The election for the Giridih Lok Sabha seat, over 150 km north of state capital Ranchi, is scheduled for May 12. CPI (Maoists) have called for a boycott in different parts of the state over the past few days, besides resorting to minor incidents of violence.

Last week, suspected Maoists blew up the forest department’s under-construction building in Chaibasa.

“One AK 47 rifle along with 2 magazines of AK 47 rifles besides two bikes were recovered from the site. The inventory of the seized items is being prepared and the identities of the slain Maoists are being established,” a police official from Giridih said.

CRPF officials said that the martyred soldier was identified as Vishwajit Chauhan from Assam.