india

Updated: Jul 26, 2019 08:49 IST

Security forces killed at least three Maoists in an encounter in Aurangabad on Thursday. The deceased could not be identified immediately. However, there were no reports of any casualties or injuries from the security forces’ end.

The operation was led by the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA). The encounter took place in a forest near Bhedia, around 150 kms from Patna, when a joint team of CoBRA, CRPF, STF and district police of Gaya and Aurangabad districts was out on a counter- insurgency mission.

Uniformed bodies of three Maoists killed were recovered from the spot, along with AK-47 and INSAS rifles. The security forces began the combing operation on Wednesday, following a tip-off that around 15 Maoists were hiding in the forest.

Security personnel of CRPF’s 159 and 153 battalions, besides forces from the 205 CoBRA batallion, were advancing through the forest when extremists belonging to the outlawed CPI (Maoist) started firing at them. The security forces retaliated, leading to an exchange of gunfire between the two sides. The Maoists soon fled the spot and escaped into the dense forests, an official said. After firing stopped, three bodies of rebels and firearms were recovered from the spot.

IG (operations) S M Khopde said that some Maoists were suspected to have received bullet injuries in the cross firing. “Bloodstains were found at the spot, indicating that some more Maoists might have been injured or killed in the encounter,” Khopde said.

During area sanitisation, the security personnel recovered one AK-47 rifle, one INSAS rifle, one .303 police rifle, one carbine and some improvised explosive devices (IEDs), along with other Maoist literature . The IG said that such operations would continue to build pressure on active Maoists in the area. The IG also said that local intelligence was being strengthened.