Eight Maoists gunned down in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli forest encounter

Sources further said that police personnel have recovered some arms and weapons from the spot of the encounter.

Bhubaneswar: At least eight Maoists were neutralised in an exchange of fire with police in Kotgul-Gyarapatti forest in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Friday. Sources said that the Red rebels were killed in a gun battle early morning at Dhanora in the Kotgul-Gyarapatti forested area, located over 920 km away from Mumbai, when a police team was conducting a search operation.

SP Ankit Goyal said the exchange of fire had started at 6.30 am. “The jawans are engaged in intermittent firing for the last few hours in the deep forest. We can confirm the numbers of Maoists neutralized only after the encounter,” said Goyal.

Sources further said that police personnel have recovered some arms and weapons from the spot of the encounter. While the security personnel’s search operation is still underway, Maoists are learnt to be trying to flee with the bodies of their slain comrades.

More details are awaited.