At least 19 people were killed in two places a few kilometres apart in Chhattisgarh early Friday in what the state police described as their “biggest encounter” with Maoists. They said the shootout was a joint operation by the CoBRA, STF and district police. While 17 ‘Maoists’ were reportedly killed in Sarkeguda in Bijapur district, the other two were killed in Jagargunda, Sukma.