3 'senior commanders' among 29 Maoists killed in Bastar

RAIPUR:

Security forces

gunned down at least 29

Maoists

in an

encounter

in

Bastar

's

Kanker district

, close to Maharashtra border, on Tuesday.
This is the highest casualty Maoists have suffered in a single operation in Chhattisgarh and the second-highest across the country. The dead include "senior commanders" Shankar Rao, Lalita and Vinod Gawde who carried a combined bounty of Rs 24 lakh.
The

Union home ministry

provided the forces with the exact grid location of a division of Maoists who had been camping in Binagunda area since April 5, officials said.

A joint force comprising 200 BSF and District Reserve Guard personnel started moving in from Monday evening. The encounter broke out around Tuesday noon on the periphery of Abujhmadh in Binagunda and Koronar forests, south of Chotebethiya, Kanker SP Kalyan Elesela said. This area is about 15 km from Chhotebethiya police station, close to Maharashtra border.

Following fierce fighting, the forces recovered three LMGs, seven AK-47s, Insas and SLR rifles, several .303 rifles and explosives.
SP Elesela told TOI bodies of 29 Maoists were found and that security personnel were still scanning the site. Three jawans were injured and airlifted. All of them are stable.