The day began with a piece of sad breaking news from Chhattisgarh where one personnel of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) was killed after an encounter broke out between the security forces and Naxals in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. From available information, the deceased personnel was an assistant commandant of the CRPF 168 battalion. He has been identified as S B Tirkey.

The soldier reportedly suffered bullet injuries and later succumbed to them. A combing operation is currently underway in the area, about 440 km from state capital Raipur.

The encounter broke out in the forests of Putkel, under the Basaguda Police Station limit in Bijapur, while officials were out patrolling for road opening and sanitizing duty. One more soldier has also been injured in the firing, reported news agency ANI.

More information regarding the ongoing firing is awaited.