2 naxals shot dead in encounter

Narayanpur, Chhattisgarh, Sep 27 (UNI) Two naxalites were shot dead while a Special Police Officer (SPO) was seriously injured in an encounter this morning in the forests in Chhotedongar area in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh, police said.

The encounter between Maoist naxalites and police took place near Dhavdai village in Narayanpur district around 0800 hours. Two guns and bodies of both deceased were recovered from the spot.

Police reached the forest on a tip-off about the presence of nearly 50 naxalites, police said, adding other naxalites managed to escape during the encounter.

Local tribal youth, including girls, are appointed as SPOs on a monthly salary of Rs 1500 to assist the security personnel deployed in anti-naxal operations in Bastar division, worst affected by Maoist naxal movement for over two decades.

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