India, March 20 -- At least 30 Maoists were killed in two separate encounters in Chhattisgarh, officials said on Thursday. While 26 Maoists were killed in Bijapur district, four were gunned down in Kanker areas by a joint team of the BSF and DRG personnel of the state police.

A police jawan was also killed in the encounter at Bijapur, they said.

A joint team had been deployed under the Gangalur police station in the border areas of Bijapur and Dantewada districts as part of an anti-Maoist operation. Clashes and search operations to find more bodies in the area are still underway.

Along with the bodies of the Maoists, a large cache of weapons and ammunitions was also found at the site of the encounter.

Union home minister Amit Shah rea...