CoBRA commando Naxalite killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh

Raipur, May 22 (PTI) A CoBRA commando of the CRPF and a Naxalite were killed during an anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday, officials said.
    The incident took place in the morning hours around the Tumrel area under the Usoor police station limits. The operation was led by the 210th Battalion of CRPF's CoBRA unit and troops from Chhattisgarh Police's DRG and STF, the officials said.
    The troops launched the operation on Wednesday based on inputs about the movement of the PLGA battalion no. 1 of the outlawed CPI (Maoist).
    CoBRA commando Constable Mehul Solanki was killed in action as he suffered a bullet injury. The troops engaged the Maoists and forced them to retreat to the jungles, the officials said.
    Commando Solanki hailed from Gujarat.
    According to the officials, the forces are in the area and the operation is underway.
    Three other CoBRA troops were injured in the gun battle, the officials said.
    They said an IAF helicopter was pressed into service to evacuate the injured, who have been admitted to a hospital in Raipur. They are out of danger.
    A male Naxalite was neutralised in the exchange of fire and a weapon was recovered. His identity is yet to be ascertained, they said.
    The officials earlier said the operation was underway in Sukma district.
    The Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) is a special jungle warfare unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), which is the lead force for operations in the Left Wing Extremism-affected states.
    The security forces are undertaking continuous operations in the LWE-affected states as part of the Union government's declaration to end the menace by March next year.
    The Bastar region in Chhattisgarh remains their core area of operation.
    On Wednesday, 27 Naxalites, including their top commander Nambala Keshav Rao (70) alias Basavaraju, the general secretary of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), were killed in an encounter with the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh Police in the forests along the Narayanpur-Bijapur border.

(This story has not been edited by THE WEEK and is auto-generated from PTI)