2 BSF men killed in encounter with Naxals

Two Border Security Force personnel, including an assistant commandant, were killed in an encounter with Naxals in Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Kanker district on Wednesday, police officials said.

The incident took place at around 4 pm in the Kilenar village forest under the Rawghat police station limits when a joint team of the BSF's 134th battalion and district force was out on an anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Vivekanand Sinha told PTI.

"Assistant Commandant Gajendra Singh, a native of Haryana, and constable Amresh Kumar from Bihar, both belonging to BSF's 134th battalion, were killed in the incident," he said.

Deputy Inspector General of Police (north Bastar range) Ratan Lal Dangi said the joint team had launched the operation on Tuesday in the interiors of Rawghat, around 250 km from Raipur.

"When the patrolling team was 10km inside the forest of Kilenar, the ultras triggered improvised explosive device (IED) blasts and also opened indiscriminate firing on them, which led to an exchange of fire," Dangi said.

The Naxals fled from the spot after a prolonged gunfight, he said.

Forces have been rushed to the spot, and the bodies of the two BSF personnel were being evacuated from the forest, he said.

According to the police, security personnel have been put on alert in Bastar division fearing Maoist offensive activities, in view of an annual tactical counter offensive campaign' (TCOC) being observed by rebels from March to June.

IMAGE: Gajendra Singh, Assistant Commandant Officer of 134th batallion of BSF, left, and Constable Amresh Kumar. Photograph: ANI