At least 13 Naxals killed in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli: DIG Sandip Patil

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At least 13 Naxals, including seven women cadres were killed in an encounter with police in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra early on Friday, officials said.

Bodies of the 13 Naxals were recovered on Friday from the forest area of Etapalli in Gadchiroli district where an encounter took place between the C-60 unit of Maharashtra Police and Naxals.

According to Sandip Patil, Deputy Inspector General of police (DIG), Gadchiroli, the operation was a huge success for Maharashtra Police and there is a possibility that more Naxals were wiped out in the encounter.

Also read: Maharashtra: Rifle, explosives seized in anti-Naxal operation at Gadchiroli

The encounter between Maharashtra Police and Naxals broke out during early morning on Friday at Paydi-Kotmi forest in Etapalli. The slain ultras belonged to Kasunsur Dalam (squad) of the Naxals, police said. The encounter took place on a day the state home minister was visiting the eastern Maharashtra district, over 900 km from Mumbai.

"Based on specific inputs, the police party, comprising C-60 commandos, had launched a search operation in the forest," DIG Patil said.

However, the ultras spotted the police party and opened fire, following which the C-60 commandos retaliated, in which 13 Naxals were killed, he said.

The encounter lasted around an hour, after which the remaining Naxals escaped into the dense forest, said Ankit Goyal, Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli.

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