4 naxals killed in encounter

Nagpur, Oct 1 (UNI) Four naxalites were killed in an encounter with the police in the deep jungles of Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli district of Vidarbha this afternoon.

Police suspect that a few more naxalites may have been injured or killed. Following heavy police firing, the remaining naxalites escaped into the jungles, a police communique said.

The police have recovered the bodies of the four naxalites. Seven pistols, one foreign-made double-bore gun and other arms and ammunition were also recovered.

The naxalites, police said, had called a ''Dandakaranya bandh'' today to protest the killing of their leader Vikas Anna alias Shivanna alias Shrinivas Venkatya Uradi in an encounter.

A group of naxalites had blocked a road in the jurisdiction of Pendhari sub-police station by digging it up and placing branches of trees on it. Police were chasing these naxalites when the encounter occurred in which four policemen were also injured.

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