The Bijapur encounter death toll rose to 18 after forces recovered six more Maoist bodies on Thursday. Three DRG personnel were killed and two injured. A major cache of weapons was seized, and top Maoist commander Modiyam Vella was among the dead.
A CRPF jawan, identified as Jasveer Singh (46) from Uttar Pradesh, was found hanging in his room at the 231 Battalion headquarters under Geedam police limits in Dantewada, Chhattisgarh. Senior officials visited the spot, and police have begun an investigation.
Joga Barse, who was contesting for the sarpanch post in Aranpur panchayat, was killed on Thursday night when Maoists forcibly entered his home and slit his throat in front of his family, accusing him of being a police informer. Barse, who had previously been a member of the CPI party, had joined the Congress just a few years ago.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P said, "A high alert has been issued to all district superintendents of police in Bastar region in the wake of the attack in Dantewada."
A senior official said, the incident took place under Aranpur police station limits when a team of the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was returning after an anti-Naxalite operation,
The incident took place at 4.05 am between Bhansi and Kamaloor stations, when the iron ore-laden train was heading to Visakhapatnam from Kirandul (Dantewada), Dantewada Superintendent of Police Abshishek Pallava said.
