Gariaband (Chhattisgarh) [India], January 23 (HBTV): Fourteen Naxals were killed in an encounter with Chhattisgarh police at the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border on Monday, the Chhattisgarh Police stated.

According to the police, a member of the Naxal group, who had a bounty of INR 1 crore on his head, was also killed in the encounter. The encounter is reportedly still underway, and further details are awaited.

On January 17, two Border Security Force (BSF) jawans sustained injuries after Naxals set off an improvised explosive device (IED) in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district. The incident occurred in the morning when a BSF road-opening party was being deployed between Camp Garpa and Garpa village, according to police officials. Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar confirmed the incident, and detailed information is expected to be shared later.

On January 16, two CRPF jawans were injured in a pressure IED blast planted by Naxalites near Putkel village under the Basaguda police station in Bijapur district. On the same day, five Naxalites, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur. Several automatic and other weapons and explosives were recovered from the forests under the National Park area of the Bijapur district. The recovered items included one SLR rifle, one 12-bore rifle, two single-shot rifles, one BGL launcher, and one locally made Bharmar gun, along with explosives, Maoist literature, and other Naxal materials.

Speaking to ANI about the South Bastar Naxal encounter, IG Bastar P Sundarraj said, 'Bodies of 12 Naxalites, including 5 women, were recovered in the encounter that took place at 9 pm between security forces and Naxalites on January 16.'

'A large number of arms and ammunition were also recovered. We are moving ahead in our goal of taking action against Naxalism,' said P Sundarraj. (ANI)