6 Naxalites killed, 2 held in Dantewada: Police

 Six Naxalites, including three women, were killed on Wednesday and two arrested following a fierce gunbattle between the ultras and security forces in the forests of Chhattisgarh's insurgency-hit Dantewada district, police said.

"The skirmish occurred in the forests of Gondpalli village under Aranpur police station when a joint team of security forces was out on an anti-Maoist operation," IG (Bastar range) SRP Kalluri told PTI.
The operation was launched last night by District Reserve Group of police (from Dantewada and Sukma), Special Task Force (STF) and CRPF, following a tip-off regarding the presence of Naxalites in Matempara and Gondpalli villages, around 450 km from here, on the Dantewada-Sukma border, he said.

The forces came under heavy firing from the ultras as they reached the target area this afternoon and the gunbattle ensued, the IG said. The encounter lasted till the ultras fled in the evening, he added. "The bodies of six rebels, including those of three women, were recovered and six firearms seized," the IG said, adding that further details were awaited as the forces will return to their camp by Thursday morning.

Special Director General of Police (anti-Maoist operations) DM Awasthi said two Naxalites were arrested from the area after the encounter. No security personnel was injured in the encounter, the SDGP said, terming the operation as a "major success". At least four teams, comprising 800 security personnel, were dispatched for the operation, he added.