At least 16 Maoists were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday. Two jawans sustained minor injuries during the clash.
The encounter took place in the forested area of Upampalli Kerlapal, near the Sukma-Dantewada border. According to Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan, the security forces are still conducting operations in the area.
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The joint operation was carried out by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). It started on March 28 after security agencies received intelligence reports about Maoist activity in the Kerlapal region. Gunfire between the forces and Maoists continued from early morning on March 29.
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Currently, security teams are searching the encounter site and nearby forest areas for any remaining threats. Sukma district, which is part of the Bastar region, has been a hotspot for Maoist attacks in the past.
In a separate incident on Friday, a jawan was injured in Narayanpur district when an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Maoists exploded. He has been hospitalized for treatment.
