Gadchiroli (Maharashtra), April 24: The security forces have recovered at least 11 more bodies of suspected Maoists from the Indravati River here early on Tuesday, official sources said.

The bodies, which were bloated and have started to decompose, were found floating on the banks of river which flows along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh borders.

These 11 Maoists are believed to be from among those who managed to escape to the forests during a gunfight with security forces on Sunday. They must have succumbed to their injuries, an official declining to be identified told IANS.

Searching and combing operations in the entire Gadchiroli district, which has been virtually sealed by the security forces, continues in the jungles, villages, hills and valleys to track and snuff out the Maoists from their hideouts.

At least six Maoists were gunned down in a fresh gunfight in the district, barely 36 hours after Sunday's encounter which left 16 rebels dead.

The fresh encounter took place late on Monday in the Rajaram Kahnhila village in Jimlagatta with the crack commandos of the C-60 force.

A high-ranking commander of the Aheri Dalam, identified as Nandu, is among those killed.

Jimlagatta is 60 km from the scene of Sunday's ambush in which 16 Maoists including three of their high-ranking commanders and seven women were killed.

Other Maoist-infested states besides Maharashtra -- Madhya Pradesh, Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Jharkhand, Andhra Pradesh, Telangana are on a state of high alert, ever since the state security forces here launched their biggest anti-Maoist operations in around four decades.

 

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Jeddah (Saudi Arabia) (PTI): India batter Shreyas Iyer became the most expensive player in the history of IPL as Punjab Kings broke the bank to buy him for Rs 26.75 crore in the tournament's mega auction here on Sunday.

Iyer surpassed the record held by Australian pacer Mitchell Starc, who was bought by Kolkata Knight Riders for Rs 24.75 crore in the last auction.

Among others, Left-arm seamer Arshdeep Singh's consistency earned him a massive bid of Rs 18 crore, also from Punjab Kings via the Right to Match card, while South African speedster Kagiso Rabada was bought for Rs 10.75 crore by Gujarat Titans.

Iyer, the former Kolkata Knight Riders captain, started with a base price of Rs two crore.

Delhi Capitals had the bid at Rs 26 crore for him but PBKS raised the amount to get the player.

Chennai Super Kings started with the first bid for Arshdeep, whose base price was also Rs two crore.

Eventually, after an intense bidding war, the seamer was bought back by Punjab, who exercised the right to match option to complete the deal, having released him earlier.

This is the second time an IPL auction is being held outside the country after last year's event in Dubai.