3 killed in encounter between Naxals, police in Chhattisgarh

Three persons were killed in an exchange of fire between Naxals and security forces in a forest along the border of Bijapur and Sukma districts in Chhattisgarh on Monday, a police official said.

It was yet to be ascertained whether the deceased were Naxals or civilians, he said, adding that there was no casualty among the security personnel.

The gunfight broke out after Naxals opened fire at a newly set up police camp at Silger in Sukma along the inter-district border, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

For the past few days, a group of villagers were staging a protest in Silger, considered as a core area of Maoists, against the police camp set up last week, he said.

According to police, the villagers had staged the protest allegedly under pressure from Naxals.

Amid the protest, armed Naxals opened fire at the camp taking cover of the villagers at around 12.30 pm on Monday, following which the security personnel retaliated, the official said, adding that intermittent firing was still underway at the spot.

"Meanwhile, bodies of three persons were recovered from the encounter site. It was yet to be ascertained whether the deceased were Naxals or civilians," the IG said.

Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and further details were awaited, he said.

The encounter spot is located eight to 10 km away from the site of Naxal attack that took place on April 3 in Sukma district where 22 security personnel were killed.