Madhya Pradesh: 3 Naxals carrying over Rs 30 lakh bounty killed in encounter

Bhopal: Three Naxals, including a woman, collectively carrying a reward of over Rs 30 lakh on their heads, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district on Monday morning, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said. One of the slain ultras was identified as Nagesh, a Naxal divisional committee member, who […]

Bhopal: Three Naxals, including a woman, collectively carrying a reward of over Rs 30 lakh on their heads, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Madhya Pradesh’s Balaghat district on Monday morning, state Home Minister Narottam Mishra said.

One of the slain ultras was identified as Nagesh, a Naxal divisional committee member, who was carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head.

The encounter took place under the Bahela police station area in the Balaghat district, located about 450 km from the state capital Bhopal, Mishra told reporters here.

Police found an AK-47 rifle, a 303 rifle and a 12-bore action gun from the encounter spot.

Madhya Pradesh Chief Minister Shivraj Singh Chouhan has promised “out of turn” promotion and gallantry awards for the policemen involved in the operation against ultras.

“Three Naxals carrying rewards on their heads were killed in the encounter with the police’s Hawk Force,” Mishra said.

The slain ultras were identified as Naxal divisional committee member Nagesh, carrying a reward of Rs 15 lakh on his head, area commander Manoj and a woman, identified as Rame, each carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh, he said.

The Hawk Force is vigilant in all the Naxal-affected areas in MP, the home minister said.

Chouhan said the state government will eliminate Naxals from MP.

“The encounter between the police and Naxals took place in the forests of Lanji-Bahela post-Lodhagi on the border of Madhya Pradesh-Chhattisgarh. Our jawans and policemen killed three hardcore Naxalites carrying rewards,” he said.

“Out-of-turn promotion and gallantry awards will be given to the policemen who killed the Naxalites without caring for their lives. I appreciate their courage. Madhya Pradesh is proud of these heroes,” the chief minister said.

In Madhya Pradesh, three districts-namely Balaghat, Mandla and Dindori are considered Naxal-affected areas.