Ten Maoists were killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district today. The gunfight broke out in the forest under Mainpur police station limits when security personnel were out on an anti-Maoist operation, Raipur Range Inspector General of Police Amresh Mishra said.
"Personnel belonging to Special Task Force (STF), CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action - an elite unit of CRPF) and other state police units are involved in the operation. Intermittent exchange of fire is still underway," he added.
Earlier today, as many as 16 Maoists surrendered in Narayanpur district. The cadres turned themselves in before senior police officials here on Wednesday evening.
They cited disappointment with the "hollow" Maoist ideology, atrocities committed by them on innocent tribals and growing internal differences in the banned outfit, Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria said.
All the 16 Maoists were lower rung cadres belonging to different units, including the Janatana Sarkar, Chetna Natya Mandli and panchayat militia members of Maoists, he said.
Although their positions were relatively low in the Maoist hierarchy, they played a crucial role in sustaining the insurgency, the official said.
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