Chhattisgarh: Nine Maoists killed in major Dantewada encounter; security forces recover arms cache

The encounter began around 10:30 am and has continued since, according to police officials. The security forces have successfully neutralized nine Maoists so far and have recovered a substantial cache of weapons from the site.

In a significant operation, a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has reportedly killed nine Maoists during an ongoing encounter in Chhattisgarh's Dantewada district. The operation, which commenced on Tuesday, was initiated following intelligence inputs that suggested the presence of Maoists in the area.

The encounter began around 10:30 am and has continued since, according to police officials. The security forces have successfully neutralized nine Maoists so far and have recovered a substantial cache of weapons from the site. Among the seized arms are a Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), a .303 Rifle, and a .315 Bore Rifle, indicating the level of preparedness of the Maoists.

In a statement, the police confirmed, "All the jawans involved in the operation are safe. The search operation is still ongoing, and more details will be provided once it concludes."

All security personnel involved in the operation have been reported safe, and the search operation is ongoing, according to officials. The Bastar region, which includes districts like Dantewada and Bijapur, remains a critical area in the fight against Maoist insurgency.

This latest encounter brings the total number of Maoists killed by security forces in various operations across Chhattisgarh this year to 154, according to police reports.