The bodies of 17 security personnel, who went missing after an encounter with Maoists in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh, were found on Sunday, Hindustan Times reported. Police said they found the bodies of the state police personnel in the Minpa jungles of Sukma a day after the encounter took place.

“Seventeen bodies of jawans of state police has been recovered by the rescue teams sent in the jungle till now,” said Chhattisgarh’s Director General of Police DM Awasthi said. He added that the encounter began at around 1 pm on Saturday near Korajguda hills in Chintagufa area when a joint team of security forces were out on an anti-Maoist operation.

Police said that 14 other personnel were injured in the operation and brought to Raipur for treatment on Saturday night. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Bhupesh Baghel met the injured in the hospital on Sunday.

An unidentified police official said that 15 automatic rifles including 10 AK-47 of the security forces have been missing. Those involved in the encounter said about a dozen Maoists also sustained bullet injuries. However, the police did not find any bodies of the Maoists.

The operation was launched by the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action from Chintagufa and involved 150 security personnel.

This encounter has been the biggest loss for the counter-insurgency forces after the April 2017 Burkapal one in which 25 Central Reserve Police Force personnel lost their lives.