Indian forces kill 14 tribal members in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Indian forces killed at least 14 tribal members during separate operations in the Bastar region of disturbed Chhattisgarh state.

10 people were killed in Sukma, while two others lost their lives in the adjoining Bijapur district in distinct operations. The operations were carried out by personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), a specialized unit of the Chhattisgarh state police.

A senior police official claimed that the operations were launched based on inputs about the presence of Maoist cadres in the area. An exchange of fire broke out in the forest of the southern region of Sukma, he said. “The bodies of 12 cadres have been recovered so far. The operation is still underway,” the official said.

He further said that during a separate operation in Bijapur, a gunfight took place in a forest in the southern region of the district, resulting in the deaths of two Naxalites. “The intermittent exchange of fire is still underway”, he said.

Last year, Indian forces killed as many as 285 Naxalites during various cordon and search operations and fake encounters in Chhattisgarh. Monitoring Desk