Two Naxals from Chhattisgarh killed in MP's Mandla district

Two Naxals including a woman, both hailing from Chhattisgarh and carrying a bounty of Rs eight lakh each on their heads, were killed in an encounter with police in Madhya Pradesh's Mandla district, an official said on Saturday.  Dulla (22) and Geeta (25), the slain rebels, were residents of Sukma district in Chhattisgarh, Mandla district Superintendent of Police Yashpal Singh Rajput said.

Both had dozens of cases registered against them in MP's Balaghat as well as Chhattisgarh's Rajnandgaon districts, he said. Dulla and Geeta carried rewards of Rs 3 lakh announced by Madhya Pradesh police and Rs five lakh by Chhattisgarh police on their heads. The police had received a tip-off that 12-13 Naxals were present in Moti Nullah area, the SP said.

After a police team reached the area, there were several exchanges of fire between two sides from 7 pm on Friday to Saturday dawn, he said. "Police fired around 150 rounds in self-defence, while as many shots came from Naxals," he added. After the gunfight stopped, the police conducted a search of the area during which the bodies of two Naxals were recovered, Rajput said.

One self loading rifle (SLP), one .303 rifle and one .315 rifle were also recovered from the site, he said. According to Rajput, this is possibly for the first time that Naxals have been killed in MP's Mandla district which is close to the Chhattisgarh border. Two dalams (groups) of Maoists are active in Mandla, he said.