THE JHARKHAND STORY DESK
Dantewada, March 26: Security forces eliminated three Naxalites, including a Maoist leader with a ₹25 lakh bounty, in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Tuesday morning. The clash took place around 8 AM in a forested area along the Dantewada-Bijapur border during an anti-Naxalite operation.
Superintendent of Police Gaurav Rai confirmed that intelligence reports had indicated the presence of Naxalites in the border areas of Girsapara, Nelgoda, Bodga, and Ikeli under the Geedam police station limits. Acting on this information, teams from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters were dispatched to the location.
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Upon spotting the security personnel, the Naxalites opened fire, prompting a retaliatory response from the forces.
In the ensuing gunfight, three Naxalites were killed on the spot. One of them was identified as Sudhir alias Sudhakar alias Murli, a wanted Maoist leader with ₹25 lakh bounty.
The identities of the other two are yet to be confirmed. Security forces recovered an INSAS rifle, a .303 rifle, and a large cache of ammunition from the site.
Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P informed journalists that security personnel have taken possession of the bodies and that search operations in the area are ongoing to ensure complete security clearance.