Seven killed in encounter with Maoists in Jharkhand

Six Maoists and one jawan were today killed and another injured during a fierce encounter between the ultras and security forces at Karamdih in Latehar district, police said.

IGP (Zonal) Deepak Verma said the security men had seen bodies of six Maoists being dragged away by their associates after they fell to bullets.

Police intelligence also confirmed that the Maoists had died, but their bodies have not been recovered so far.

"Satyaprakash Jaiswal, who was with the CoBRA force, succumbed to bullet injuries during the encounter," Latehar SP Kranti Kumar told reporters.

"Another injured jawan of Jharkhand Jaguar, Sanjay Paswan, is being treated in a hospital in Ranchi," he said, adding the security forces had inflicted "heavy damage" to the Maoists in the five-hour long battle.

The security forces had entered the forests of Latehar three days ago and caught the Maoists unaware today, police said.