In a major success for the security forces in insurgency-hit Balaghat of Madhya Pradesh a dreaded Maoist carrying a whopping bounty of Rs 14 lakh on his head was killed in an encounter on Friday, September 29, the police said.
According to the reports, personnel of Hawk force, a counter insurgency unit of the Madhya Pradesh police had launched a search operation in the forest of Kundal-Koddapur Songudda under Rupjhar police station limits of Balaghat district on Friday. During the combing operation the Naxals (Maoist) opened indiscriminate fire upon the forces to which the security personnel retaliated heavily.
Later, the body of a 25 year old Maoist was recovered from the spot. The deceased Maoist has been identified as Kamlu, a resident of Maoist affected Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. It’s been reported that Kamlu was an active member of the Tada Dadekasa Dalam of the proscribed Communist Party of India (Maoist) and was carrying a bounty of Rs 14 lakh.
The security personnel also recovered a rifle from the spot while a search operation in the vicinity of the spot is still underway owing to the possibility of more Maoist to be injured or killed, informed police.
It is to be noted that the Balaghat and Mandala districts of Madhya Pradesh have witnessed a surge in the Maoist related activities in the recent few years suggesting a wide scale infiltration of the ultras from Bastar of Chhattisgarh. According to the reports hundreds of Maoist have arrived in the bordering regions of Balaghat, Mandala and Dindori of Madhya Pradesh after the security forces tightened grip on the extremist outfit in Bastar of Chhattisgarh.
Meanwhile the Madhya Pradesh police has also been on their toes lately against the growing menace of Maoist in the region leading to a number of counter insurgency operations in left wing insurgency affected areas. In a similar operation in June this year the security forces had neutralized the Vistar Dalam divisional committee member Nagesh along with his two acquaintances identified as Manoj and Rame.
The deceased Maoist were killed in an encounter in the forest of Bahela near Lodhgi near the inter-state border of Madhya Pradesh and Chhattisgarh. The Maoist killed in action were carrying a collective bounty of Rs 30 lakhs on their heads. The security personnel had also recovered an AK-47 and a 12 bore rifle from the spot.
Earlier in another similar development Hawk force team of the Madhya Pradesh police had also shot down two notorious female Maoists in an encounter on April 22 this year.
The development occurred when the Hawk force team was out on a search operation in the Garhi police station limits, where a fierce gunfight broke out between the forces and the Maoist near the Kadla forest area in the wee hours of April 22. It was learnt that after a heavy gunfight that lasted for more than an hour, the bodies of two female Maoist cadres were recovered.
The deceased female Maoists were identified as area commander Sunita of Bhoramdeo area and Sarita, a member of Khatia Dalam of the proscribed CPI Maoist. Both carried a reward of Rs 14 lakh each and had many cases registered against them.
It was then reported that Sarita, a member of the Tada Dalam, was working in the Vistara Dalam. At the same time, Sunita, who was earlier associated with the Khatia Dalam and had worked as a bodyguard of top Maoist commander Kabir was also working for the Vistara Dalam of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the armed wing of the banned CPI Maoist, both of the deceased cadres were said to be the area committee members of the outlawed Maoist outfit.
