Four Maoists, police officer killed in gun battle in Chhattisgarh

Kothagudem: Four naxals and a Sub-Inspector of Police were killed in an exchange of fire in Rajnandgaon district of neighbouring Chhattisgarh state.

According to the police, the exchange of fire took place in between 10 to 11 pm on Friday in the forests near Pardhoni village under the limits of Manpur police station when a police team went into the forests on combing and search operation.

Rajnandgaon Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Shukla informed the press on Saturday that Sub-Inspector of Police SK Sharma, who was also in-charge of Madanwara police station lost his life while fighting the Maoists.

According to him, the police team went into the forests following



a tip-off on naxals movements. The Maoists on spotting the police have started firing at them and the police retaliated the fire. In the exchange of fire, four Maoists Ashok, Krishna, Sarita and Pramila were killed.

The police have recovered an AK-47 assault rifle along with one self-loading rifle (SLR), two .315 bore rifles and ammunition besides several other material used by Maoists, from the spot. Police teams have been engaged in searching in the forests, the SP said.

Sources informed that Rajnandgaon comes under the newly-formed zone that connects three states three states of Maharashtra, Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh (MMC) zone.