Two Naxalites, each carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Friday morning, police said.
According to officials, acting on credible intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the southwestern region of Bijapur, a search operation was launched by a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG).
The operation led to an exchange of fire on the morning of September 12, during which two Maoists were killed.
Security personnel recovered one .303 rifle along with a magazine and four live rounds, one 12-bore gun with four live rounds, explosive materials, and other items belonging to the banned Maoist organisation from the encounter site.
Other items recovered from the site include: Battery, codex wire, scanner set and Maoist literature, along with other Maoist material.
Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Yadav said that the encounter was the result of a targeted operation based on reliable inputs about Maoist cadre activity in the region.
The killed Maoists were identified as Hidma Podiyam (34) and Munna Madkam (25).
"The two dead Maoists were identified as: Hidma Podiyam (34), resident of Bedset in the Indravati area, member of Platoon No. 01, Company No. 02, carrying a bounty of ₹8 lakh and Munna Madkam (25), resident of Katekalyan in Dantewada district, member of Platoon No. 01, Company No. 02, also carrying a bounty of Rs 8 lakh each," the SP said.
Earlier on Thursday, security forces neutralised 10 Naxals, including a senior commander and Central Committee (CC) member Manoj. Ten weapons were also recovered from the area.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma had also hailed the joint operation by security forces, which neutralised 10 Naxals, including a senior commander carrying a reward of Rs 1 crore, congratulating the officials for conducting an "excellent operation" in a restrained manner.
