india

Updated: Jul 06, 2019 23:00 IST

Four Maoists, including three women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dhamtari district on Saturday, police said.

“The encounter took place between Khallari and Mechka villages when a team of Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation in the jungle. The encounter lasted for 30 minutes. After the exchange of fire stopped, bodies of four Maoists were found,” said DM Awasthi, director general of police.

“Parmila and Raju who were carrying ₹5 lakh reward on their head were members of Sitanadi Area Committee, while Durga alias Majula and Munni alias Rashmi were members of Gobra local area committee,” he added.

Police are concentrating on Manipur–Nuwapada Joint Division of CPI (Maoist) and got success in the recent past.

In the last six months, 54 encounters took place in Chhattisgarh, in which 34 Maoists and 15 security personnel were killed. In 2018, 166 encounters took place killing 124 Maoists, while a total of 52 security forces were killed in these encounters.

“The encounters this year are very less in comparison to other years because the government has a clear strategy on Maoist front,” said a senior IPS officer on conditions of anonymity.

“This year, encounters are more specific and we are targeting big cadres,” said Awasthi.