5 security personnel killed in encounter with Maoists in Chhattisgarh

New Delhi, Apr 03: Five security personnels were killed and a few others were injured on Saturday in an encounter with Naxals at a forest in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district.

Security personnel from CRPF's elite CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) unit, the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Special Task Force (STF) were out on an anti-Maoist operation when the encounter broke out.

"The encounter broke out in Tarrem area (along Sukma and Bijapur border) when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal (Maoist) operation," Chhattisgarh Director General of Police DM Awasthi said.

"As per the preliminary information, five jawans were killed and a few others were injured in the gunfight," he added.

According to the police, some Maoists are also suspected to have been killed during the exchange of fire which is still underway.

Meanwhie, an emergency meeting of DGP DM Awasthi, Special DG (Anti-Naxal Operations) Ashoke Juneja and other officers is underway in Raipur over the encounter between security forces & Naxals in Bijapur in which 5 security personnel have lost their lives.