22 Maoists gunned down, jawan killed in Chhattisgarh encounters

In a major offensive against Naxals, security forces killed at least 22 members of the banned CPI (Maoist) in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh, officials said on Thursday.

Heavy Casualties in Bijapur, Ongoing Operation in Kanker

A total of 18 Naxals were neutralized in Bijapur district, while four were gunned down in Kanker by a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the state police.

Intermittent firing was still ongoing in Kanker as per the latest reports, officials confirmed.

Jawan Martyred in Bijapur Encounter

The encounter in Bijapur began around 7 AM in a forested area along the Bijapur-Dantewada border, during an anti-Naxal operation conducted by security forces in Gangaloor police station limits.

Security personnel recovered bodies of 18 Naxalites along with firearms and explosives from the site. However, a DRG jawan lost his life in the gunfight.

Operations are still underway in the region, and further updates are awaited.

(With PTI Inputs)