At least 16 Naxalites were killed and two Indian Army soldiers were injured in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday morning, March 29. The gunfight occurred in an Upampalli Kerlapal forest area at the Sukma-Dantewada Border. The exchange of fire is still underway, said SP Sukma, Kiran Chavan. The gunfight broke out in the morning hours in a forest under the Kerlapal police station area where a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation.
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He said personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) are involved in the operation launched on Friday night based on inputs about the presence of Maoists in the Kerlapal area.
"Bodies of 16 Naxalites have been recovered from the encounter site so far. The operation is still underway," the official said. An intermittent exchange of fire is underway, the official said.
"We have recovered 16 bodies of naxals so far. AK-47, SLR, INSAS rifles and other arms & ammunition in large numbers have also been recovered. Two jawans have sustained minor injuries," said Sukma SP Kiran Gangaram Chavan.