2 Maoists killed in gun battle with security forces

The Maoist cadres were gunned down after an exchange of fire in the forests of the Gangaloor police station limits, Bijapur Additional Superintendent of Police Indira Kalyan Elesela told PTI.

A joint team of the district police force and the special task force was out on a combing operation in Gangaloor police station limits, located around 400 km away from the Chhattisgarh capital.

While security forces were cordoning off Munga village forests, a group of armed Maoists indiscriminately opened fire at them, after which they retaliated.

The intermittent firing lasted for about an hour after which the Maoists ran into the core jungle area, he said.

Bodies of two Maoists were found after a search of the encounter spot, the ASP said, adding that their identities are yet to be ascertained.

One self-loading rifle and a muzzle-loading gun were also recovered from the spot, he said.

Further details are being awaited since the operation is still underway in the dense forests, he said.