Chhattisgarh has been battling the Left-wing extremism for over three decades. (File photo)
Chhattisgarh government today said 128 Maoists and 100 policemen were killed in gun battles over the last three years in the state.
In a written reply to a question raised by Congress lawmaker Deepak Baij, state Panchayat Minister Ajay Chandrakar, who is in-charge of the Home department, said, "543 encounters took place between police and Naxalites from 2013 till January 2016 in the Maoist-affected districts of Chhattisgarh."
128 Maoists were killed while 100 security personnel also lost their lives in the gun battles. Besides, 210 security personnel and eight Maoists were injured in the exchanges of gunfire, the minister said.
A maximum of 52 Maoists were gunned down in Bijapur, where 14 security personnel also lost their lives during this period. Also, 48 policemen and 29 Maoists were killed in Sukma district, the minister added.
According to Mr Chandrakar, a total of 852 Maoist cadres surrendered in the state in the last three years and a sum of Rs 149.37 lakh was given to them as relief aid. Besides, 20 of them were also given government jobs, he added.
Chhattisgarh has been battling the Left-wing extremism for over three decades. To tackle the Maoists central armed police forces, including Central Reserve Police Force, Border Security Force, Indo-Tibetan Border Police and Seema Surksha Bal, have been deployed in the state.