Around 15 security personnel are missing following the encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday.
"A reinforcement party has rushed to the encounter spot. Bodies of two jawans have been recovered as of now," Chhattisgarh Police sources said.
"23 injured have been admitted to Bijapur hospital and 7 have been admitted to a Raipur hospital," it added.
Five security personnel were killed and about 10 were injured in the encounter with Naxals in jungles near Tarrem in Bijapur district.
"In an encounter in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, initial reports indicate that three District Reserve Guard (DRG) and two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) jawans have been martyred, one Naxal has also been killed, the encounter is on," CRPF had said.
On Saturday, Chhattisgarh Director-General of Police DM Awasthi had informed that the gunbattle broke out when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation.
For the last 10 days, security forces in Chhattisgarh were getting information about the whereabouts of Madvi Hidma, a top Naxal of banned CPI (Maoist) who has been linked to major attacks including the 2013 Jhiram Ghati killings.
Over 30 people including senior leaders of the Chhattisgarh Congress were killed in the Jhiram Ghati Naxal attack in 2013.
( With inputs from ANI )
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