Gadchiroli (Maharashtra): Twelve Naxal cadres, including 5 women, were killed in an encounter between security forces and insurgents in Wandoli village on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, media reports said.

One Divisional Committee member, Laxman Atram, in charge of the Tipagad Dalam, has been identified as one of the dead Naxal, news agency ANI reported.

Further identification of the Naxals and area searches are ongoing.

The Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, said that various crimes, including encounters, arson and murder, had been registered against the dead Maoists, the report stated.

He also said that all armed formations and cadres in Uttar Gadchiroli have been neutralised by the police. Further, he said that after the operation, Uttar Gadchiroli is Naxal-free now.

Deputy Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis has announced a cash reward of Rs. 51 lakhs for the C60 commandos and Gadchiroli Police for successfully conducting the operation.

The operation involved seven C-60 parties led by Deputy Superintendent of Police officers, deployed near the Chhattisgarh border in Wandoli village.

On July 17, an encounter erupted between the Maharashtra Police C-60 team and Maoist insurgents in the forest area between Chhindbhatti and PV-82 in the Kanker border area.

The heavy exchange of fire began on Wednesday afternoon and continued intermittently for six hours, resulting in the deaths of 12 Naxal cadres.

One police sub-inspector and one jawan sustained injuries but are now out of danger, having been evacuated to Nagpur for treatment, the report said.

The area search led to the recovery of seven automatic weapons, including three AK-47s, two INSAS rifles, one carbine, and one SLR, it added.

Security forces have intensified search operations in the region and continue to monitor the situation closely.