Four Naxalites killed in encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur
Bijapur (PTI): Security forces on Saturday gunned down four Naxalites, including senior cadre Dilip Vedja, in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, police said.
The gunfight broke out in the morning in the forested hills of the district’s northwest region, where a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav said.
He said that personnel belonging to the Special Task Force and District Reserve Guard, both state police units, and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) -- an elite unit of CRPF -- were involved in the operation, which was launched based on inputs about the presence of Vedja, a divisional committee member, in the area.
“During the search, the bodies of two Maoists were recovered from the encounter site by noon. Subsequently, bodies of two more Maoist cadres, including a woman, were recovered in the evening,” Yadav said.
Weapons, including AK-47 rifle and .303 rifle, have also been recovered from the spot, he said, adding that a search operation is underway.
One of the neutralised Naxalites has been identified as Dilip Vedja, who was active in the national park area committee of Maoists and had been involved in several attacks, the official said.
Preliminary information suggests the three other killed cadres belonged to the same area committee, though their identity was yet to be ascertained, he added.
On January 3, as many as 14 Naxalites were gunned down in two encounters in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur.
A total of 285 Naxalites were killed in encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh last year.
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Three youths killed in road accident
Bengaluru (PTI): Three youths lost their lives in a road accident near Agalakote village under Devanahalli Traffic Police near here on Saturday, police said.
The incident happened when their two-wheeler lost control and jumped a median, and they were run over by a lorry, they said.
According to police, all the three were said to be college students. While one was 20 years of age, the other two are said to be 19 years old.
The youth who was riding the two-wheeler, along with his two friends as pillions, was allegedly riding it at a high speed, they said.
While negotiating a curve, he lost control of the vehicle, which hit the median and jumped over to the other side, throwing the three on the opposite road lane. The lorry that was allegedly speeding ran over them, killing all of them on the spot.
Police have registered the case and have named both -- the person riding the bike and the lorry driver -- in the FIR, officials said, and added that further investigation is underway.
