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At least 20 Naxals, including a woman, were killed in a fierce overnight encounter in the dense forests of Dantewada in Chhattisgarh. Six Central Reserve Police (CRPF) personnel were wounded in the encounter, which took place in the forests of Silger, an uncharted Maoist zone between the Naxal hotbed of Jagargunda and Basaguda in Bijapur district of Bastar region. Chhattisgarh ADG (Naxal Operations) Ram Nivas said seventeen bodies of the ultras have been recovered from the spot, and added that the combing operations were underway. He further said that the death toll is expected to rise. The encounter, which was launched last night in a joint operation by over 300 CRPF and state police personnel from three directions, is the biggest offensive by the security agencies in the Naxal stronghold in Chhattisgarh this year. The Ministry of Home Affairs has sought a detailed report on the firing between the Maoists and the security forces that took place in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur District earlier last night. "During last night (28/29th June) at around 2330 hrs., a search party of CRPF and State police (total around 200 personnel) were fired upon by a group of armed Maoists numbering 40-45, near village Sarkeguda of PS Basaguda, Distt. Bijapur in Chhattisgarh," said a Home Ministry release. "In the exchange of fire which lasted about one hour, six CRPF personnel were injured. They were taken to Raipur for further treatment. Two of the injured are reported to be critical. Two Maoists, who were injured, were also removed from the spot to Raipur for further medical treatment. Another CPI (Communist Party of India) cadre died in Bijapur hospital during medical treatment," the release adds. The Ministry of Home Affairs further informed that there are a few more casualties in the operation on the other side.

20 Naxals killed in Chhattisgarh encounter