ATLEAST seven Naxalites were gunned down and nearly a dozen were injured in a fierce encounter between security forces and Naxalites on the forested borders of Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur district on Thursday. Confirming the skirmish, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Prabhat Kumar told that bodies of seven slain outlaws have been recovered along with equal number of firearms from the encounter spot. As per information received, on the basis of intelligence inputs regarding presence of outlaws associated with the Platoon Number-16 and Indravati Area Committee, ajoint squad of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), BastarFighters and the Special TaskForce (STF) from Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bastar was out to carry out search operations.

 

During the search, anexchange of fire took placebetween the security forces andthe insurgents in the borderareas of Narayanpur, Dantewada and Bijapur at around 11 am on Thursday. During the encounter, seven outlaws were gunned down. Nearly, a dozen ultras arebelieved to have sustained bullet injuries. However, identities of the slain outlaws wereyet to be ascertained.