Clashes kill 2 police forces, 2 Maoist rebels in central India
At least two Indian police officers and two Maoist rebels have been killed in clashes in the country’s central state of Chhattisgarh, officials say.
The fighting took place on Sunday in the state’s Bijapur district, said deputy police chief Indira Kalyan Elesela in the district.
According to Elesela, police were on a search operation to find Maoist rebels when they came under attack by gunfire.
Elesela said that another officer was also injured in the incident.
The Bijapur district is located in the Bastar region, where Maoist rebels killed seven policemen and injured 10 others last month.
On May 8, Maoists rebels kidnapped at least 250 villagers in the state in an ostensible attempt to stop the local government in Chhattisgarh from constructing a bridge in the village of Marenga.
All but one villager who was killed were released the next day. Reports say the victim was shot dead after rebels found him “guilty” of encouraging other villagers to take part in the construction of the bridge.
The rebels have been fighting against the Chhattisgarh State governing authority and central government for years.
The rebels are most active in states of Chhattisgarh, Odisha, Bihar, Jharkhand and Maharashtra, which cover vast swathes of land.
India’s Home Ministry has described the Maoists as the country’s greatest internal threat.
More than 6,600 people, including civilians, militants and security forces, have died in the Maoist-related clashes over the past three decades.
CAH/MKA/HJL
Pezeshkian says seeking to prevent conflict expansion as Modi blasts Israel’s genocide
Putin: BRICS, not the West, will drive global economic prosperity
Party opposed to India’s stripping Kashmir’s autonomy wins key vote
Iran relies on natural gas for nearly 90% of its power production: Expert
US embassy in Beirut blocks Iraq-Lebanon humanitarian air bridge
VIDEO | UK's Starmer targets journalists
Israel plans to displace Palestinians in occupied West Bank: Hamas
Iranian airlines ramp up Istanbul route flights after EU sanctions
British protesters slam UK’s complicity in Gaza genocide on Balfour day
US surgeon haunted by Gaza children with ‘single gunshot wounds to head’
VIDEO | Iran's possible retaliation against Israel
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
