NEW DELHI, April 16 (Xinhua) -- At least 18 Naxals were killed and three members of government forces wounded Tuesday in a fierce gunfight in the central Indian state of Chhattisgarh, police said.
The gunfight between Naxals and joint contingents of the police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) and paramilitary Border Security Force (BSF) broke out in Chhotebethiya area of Kanker district, about 264 km south of Raipur, the capital city of Chhattisgarh.
According to the police, the gunfight broke out after contingents of the police cordoned off the area on specific intelligence information suggesting the presence of Naxals.
The top commander, Shankar Rao, was among the 18 Naxals killed by the government forces.
"This afternoon a gunfight broke out between Naxalites and government forces in the forests of Chotebethiya. The contingents of the DRG and BSF initiated a search operation based on intelligence information, following which a fierce gunfight broke out during which 18 Naxals including a top commander were killed," a police official said.
Th police also claimed recovery of huge arms and ammunition from the spot.
The identity of the slain Naxals was being ascertained, the police said.
A local media report said since the beginning of this year, government forces have killed 50 Naxals in different operations. Apart from this, six government force servicemen and 18 civilians were also killed in the Naxal violence.
Currently, Naxals are active across the central and eastern parts of India.
India's former prime minister Manmohan Singh once termed the Naxalite movement as India's "greatest internal security challenge".
The insurgency reportedly has claimed hundreds of lives besides rendering thousands of poor inhabitants homeless. ■
