Two CRPF personnel were killed and another was injured in an encounter with Naxals in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Friday, police said. Two girls were caught in the crossfire. One of them died while the other was injured, they said.

“The gun-battle took place near Keshkutul village under the Bhairamgarh police station area when a joint team of the CRPF’s 199th battalion and local police was out on an area domination operation”, said IG (Bastar range) Vivekanand Sinha.

“When the patrolling team was advancing through Keshkutul, it was ambushed by a group of armed rebels and a gunfight ensued”, he further added.

“Two CRPF personnel – an assistant sub-inspector and a head constable – were killed. Another assistant sub-inspector was injured in the gunfight,” Sinha said.

Two minor girls, travelling in a goods carrier, were caught in the crossfire. One of them died, while the other was injured, said the officer adding, “reinforcement was rushed to the spot soon after being alerted about the incident”.