18 Naxalites killed in encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh; 3 jawans hurt

Kanker: At least eight Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Kanker district on Tuesday, police said.

Three security personnel suffered injuries in the fierce gun-battle and a large quantity of weapons was also recovered from the spot, they said.

The gunfight took place at around 2 pm in Hapatola forest between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits, when a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a senior police official said.

"As per preliminary information, at least eight Naxalites were gunned down in the encounter. A huge cache of weapons was recovered from the spot," he informed.

The three security personnel injured in the gunfight were being shifted to a hospital for treatment, the official said.