Three Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh

Bijapur, Jan 12 (ANI): Indian Paramilitary forces gunned down three Maoists during an encounter in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday.

The forces also recovered a large number of guns, 10 Kilograms of two tiffin bombs and Maoist literature from the deceased Maoists.

The officials said that the encounter continued for around two hours in the forests of the region.

"Three Maoists were shot down by us in the forest of Bijapur in an encounter, which took place between 11:30 to 12:30 in the morning. We also recovered huge number of guns, tiffin bombs from them," said Ashok Singh, Sub-Divisional officer, Bijapur.

He added that their team went following a tip off into the forests. The Maoist rebels opened fire and were eliminated in crossfire.

"According to the initial reports that we have, it is possible that there were around 35 to 40 Maoists who were present in the forests, but they ran away after hearing the firing," Singh said.

Chhattisgarh is among the worst areas affected by Maoists in the country.

The main objective of the Maoists is to prevent the development of infrastructure in remote areas, which so far has remained their exclusive domain.

The Maoists claim they are fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers, but they are fast losing credibility as they continue attacking schools, hospitals and infrastructure projects. (ANI)