District Reserve Guard jawan injured in fire-exchange with Naxals in Chattisgarh

A District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan was injured in an encounter with Naxals in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, police said.

The exchange of fire took place in the forest of Aautpalli village under Basaguda police station area when a team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Kamlochan Kashyap said.

When the patrolling team was cordoning off the forest near the village, a gunfight broke out between the two sides, he said.

"DRG jawan Laxman Bedja sustained bullet injuries on his leg in the incident," he said.

After a brief exchange of fire, the ultras escaped into dense forest, he said.

The injured jawan was being shifted to a local hospital, he said, adding that a search operation was underway in the area.

In view of 'martyrs week' being observed by Maoists from July 28 till August 3, the security forces have intensified patrolling in the interiors of Bastar division comprising seven districts- Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Bijapur, Sukma and Dantewada.