Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], March 22 (HBTV): Security forces have killed a total of 22 Naxalites in two separate operations in Bijapur and Kanker districts of Chhattisgarh, police said on Thursday.

The security forces neutralised 18 Maoists during an encounter in the forest area at the Bijapur-Dantewada border, Inspector General (IG) Bastar P Sundarraj said.

One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard also lost his life during the encounter, police added. According to the police, the encounter got underway at 7 am today.

In the other encounter at the Kanker-Narayanpur border area, security forces gunned down four Naxalites near village Koroskodo in the police station area of Chhotebethiya, Inspector General (IG) Bastar P Sundarraj said.

The security forces have also recovered automatic weapons, while intermittent firing is still ongoing, police added.

Search operations in both areas are underway, police said.

During the previous week, as many as 17 Naxalites surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, a police officer said.

Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Yadav told reporters, 'Today, 17 Naxalites have surrendered in Bijapur district. All the surrendered Naxalites were active in different capacities in the Gangaloor area committee of the outlawed Maoist organisation.'

In February, a total of 18 Naxalites were arrested, and explosives were recovered from them in an operation carried out by security forces in three different locations in the Bijapur district.

According to the police, 10 Naxalites were arrested from the forests of Gunjeperti in the Usur police station area, along with explosives. Seven were arrested from the forests of Rajpenta in the Basaguda police station area, along with explosives.

Additionally, a joint operation by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bhairamgarh Police Station led to the arrest of one Maoist with explosives.

(ANI)