Two policemen were killed and six others injured in a gun-battle with the Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Sunday, a top official said.

The encounter took place in a forest under the Bhejji police station when a joint team of the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local police was out on an “area-domination operation”, Deputy Inspector General of Police (South Bastar range) Sundarraj P told PTI.

As the team was passing through the forest between Bhejji and Elarmadgu, around 500 km from state capital Raipur, it came under heavy firing from the ultras, leading to the gun-battle, the DIG said.

The exchange of fire lasted for over two hours, he added.

“Assistant constables Madkam Handa and Mukesh Kadthi of the DRG were killed and six other jawans were injured,” the DIG said.

Reinforcement was rushed to the spot and the injured personnel as well as the bodies of the slain jawans were brought to Bhejji.

The injured jawans were being airlifted to Raipur, the DIG added.

In another incident along the stretch between Bhejji and Elarmadgu, where a road construction project is underway, the Naxals killed Anil Kumar, the supervisor of the private contractor, and set vehicles engaged in the road construction work ablaze, Sundarraj said.

PTI