He said that personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) and District Force were involved in the operation.
Once the intermittent exchange of fire ceased, authorities recovered the bodies of three Naxalites, dressed in 'uniform,' along with firearms, including automatic weapons, and explosives from the site, according to an official.
The search operation was still underway in the area, he added.
12 Naxalites killed in 2025
With this, 12 Naxalites have been killed in separate encounters in the state so far this year.
During a three-day anti-Naxal operation in the Abujhmad region, which spans the borders of Narayanpur, Dantewada, and Bijapur districts, five Naxalites, including two women, were killed. This operation concluded on January 6. On January 9, three Naxalites were killed in a clash with security forces in Sukma district.
Additionally, on January 3, a Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security personnel in Gariaband district, located in the Raipur division.
Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in the state.
Eight jawans among 9 killed in Naxals attack
In their deadliest strike on security forces in Chhattisgarh in two years, Naxals blew up a vehicle using a 60-70 kg strong IED near Ambeli village under the Kutru police station area at around 2.15 pm on January 6. Eight security personnel, four each from District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters- both units of state police- who were travelling in the SUV and the driver were killed on the spot, located around 70 km from the Bijapur district headquarters, the official said.
Police suspect the powerful IED was planted a long time back along the route used by security personnel.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said that the explosive device went off when DRG personnel from Dantewada district were returning in their Scorpio vehicle after conducting an anti-Naxalite operation.
(With PTI inputs)
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