Bijapur, Apr 21 (PTI) A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Monday, a police official said.

The encounter took place around 5.30 pm between Kerpe and Todsampara villages under Bedre police station limits when a joint team of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) and local police was out on an area domination operation, he said.

“After a brief exchange of fire, the body of a Naxalite, one .315 bore rifle, one tiffin bomb, firecrackers and other items were recovered from the spot. The identity of the slain ultra has not been ascertained as yet. A search operation is underway in the area,” the official said.

“Blood stains at the encounter site indicate many other Naxalites were either killed or injured but their colleagues managed to drag them inside the forest,” he added.

With the latest action, 141 Naxalites have been gunned down in separate encounters in the state so far this year.

Of them, 124 have been eliminated in Bastar division comprising seven districts, including Bijapur. PTI COR TKP BNM