Bastar, March 20 -- Security forces recovered the bodies of 30 Naxalites along with a large cache of firearms during search operations in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur and Kanker districts on Thursday, Bastar Inspector General of Police P Sundarraj said.

Speaking to ANI after two separate encounters with Naxalites in the two districts, IG Sundarraj said, "Operations were conducted today in various areas of the Bastar district. In the Bijapur-Dantewada border region, we have recovered the bodies of 26 Naxalites."

"A large number of AK-47 rifles, as well as automatic and semi-automatic weapons, have also been seized. One personnel of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) lost his life during the encounter," he said.

Speaking about the encoun...