Maharashtra: 7 naxals killed in encounter in Gadchiroli

According to reports, a sudden surge in naxal activities was reported in Gadchiroli over the last 10 days.

At least seven Naxalites, including five women, were killed in an encounter between security forces and Naxals in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli on Wednesday morning.

The skirmish took place around 7 am at a forest in Kalled village, about 15 kms north of Zinganoor outpost in Sironcha tehsil of Gadchiroli, when a squad of C-60 commandos (Maharashtra police's special anti-Maoist unit) was out on anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official told PTI.

According to reports, a sudden surge in Naxal activities was reported in Gadchiroli over the last 10 days. The left extremists killed seven people including two policemen and injuring five others. Top police officials rushed to Gadchiroli and camped there to monitor counter-insurgency operations. Last month, a police jawan was killed and another was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals at Kotgul in Gadchiroli district.

Separately, one security personnel was injured during an encounter between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon. The injured security personnel was being airlifted to Raipur.

(With agency inputs)