India: 20 naxalites rebels killed in clashes with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) in Chhattisgarh
In a major crackdown by CRPF, at least 20 Naxalites, including a woman, were killed in a fierce overnight encounter in the dense jungles of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh that left six jawans wounded.
The encounter, which took place in the forests of Silger, an uncharted Maoist zone between the Naxalite hotbed of Jagargunda and Basaguda in Bijapur district of Bastar region, was launched on Thursday night in a joint operation by over 300 CRPF and state police personnel from three directions.
Seventeen bodies of the ultras have been recovered from the spot, Chhattisgarh ADG (Naxal Operations) Ram Nivas said, adding the combing operations were underway and the toll may rise. There were reports of three more Naxalites being killed.