Two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon district, for the first time in their "new zone".
Senior police officials have confirmed that these Maoists belonged to the "Vistaar Platoon" of Maoists, who are trying to setup new zone - MMC (Maharashtra-Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh) consisting of areas of Balaghat-Gondia-Rajnandgaon-Mungeli-Kawardha.
"The encounter took place on Wednesday late night in a dense forest near Suktara village. A joint squad of Special Task Force (STF) and the district police force had launched an operation in Gandai forests after acting on inputs about movement of 'vistaar (expansion) party' of Maoists in the area for the past few days," Superintendent of Police, Prashant Agrawal said.
"The team came under fire while passing through Suktara forest. The rebels later escaped, while two bodies, a .315 bore gun and a pistol were recovered from the spot. Identity of the killed rebels is being ascertained."
It is clear that they belonged to an expansion team of ultras who are making attempts to expand their base along the border of Chhattisgarh and Madhya Pradesh," Agrawal added.
A high-level meeting to curb the Maoist problem in the "new zone" was held on June 21 in Rajnandgaon and was chaired by Internal Security Advisor of India Vijay Kumar, SP DGP Anti-naxal Ops D.M. Awasthi, ADG Maoist MP and Maharashtra and SP's of Rajnandgao, Gondia and Balaghat.
Earlier on June 18, three Maoists, including two women were killed in a gun-battle with police in Aundhi police station area of Rajnandgaon, 77 km away from Raipur.
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