Naxalism in Maharashtra: 7 Maoists including 5 women killed in encounter in Gadchiroli

Gadchiroli, December 6: At least seven Naxalites were killed in an encounter between security forces and Naxals in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli on Wednesday morning. Seven Maoists, including five women, were gunned down in an encounter with the police in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district today, an official said. 

The skirmish took place around 7 am at a forest in Kalled village, about 15 kms north of Zinganoor outpost in Sironcha tehsil of Gadchiroli, when a squad of C-60 commandos (Maharashtra police’s special anti-Maoist unit) was out on anti-Naxal operation, said a senior police official.

A sudden surge in Naxal activities was reported in Gadchiroli over the last 10 days. The left extremists killed seven people including two policemen and injuring five others.

Top police officials rushed to Gadchiroli and camped there to monitor counter-insurgency operations. Last month, a police jawan was killed and another was injured in an IED blast triggered by Naxals at Kotgul in Gadchiroli district.

Separately, one security personnel was injured during an encounter between security forces and Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Kondagaon. The injured security personnel were being airlifted to Raipur.

Last to last week on Sunday a CRPF constable was killed and two of his colleagues injured when Maoists opened fire on a joint team of the paramilitary forces and Maharashtra Police in Gadchiroli district.