Chhattisgarh: Three Senior Maoists Killed in Encounter

Kothagudem: Security forces killed three senior Maoist cadres during an encounter in the Paradi forests, in the remote Abujhmad area of Narayanpur district in Chhattisgarh.

The deceased Maoists were identified as Rupesh alias Kolu, alias Shamba Gosai Mandavi, a Dandakaranya south zone committee member with a bounty of Rs 25 lakh; Jagdish alias Ramesh alias Sukhlal Tekam, divisional committee member, with a prize of Rs 16 lakh for his capture; and Sarita, alias Basanti, a platform party committee member, carrying an award of Rs 8 lakh.

Security forces recovered an AK-47 rifle, an INSAS rifle, two SLRs, two carbines, a .303 rifle, a 12-bore shotgun, two single-shot guns, 75 barrel grenade launcher (BGL) cells, and a large quantity of explosive materials.

According to Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar, the security forces launched the operation as part of Operation Maad. This triggered an exchange of fire with the Maoists that lasted for hours.

The encounter took place during a 124-hour-long anti-Naxal operation conducted by combined forces from the Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Dantewada districts, involving elite units from the DRG, STF, and BSF battalions (11th, 133rd, and 135th).

IGP of Bastar Range, P. Sundarraj, said that security forces have dealt a significant blow to Maoist leadership in 2024. Senior Maoist leaders, including Rupesh from Gadchiroli, along with other top Maoist leaders from Telangana and Maharashtra, were neutralised. So far in 2024, 37 Maoists have been killed in Narayanpur district, with 29 arrests and 14 surrenders.