Chhattisgarh: 7 Maoists killed in back to back encounters

Security forces, in an encounter that occurred in the forest of Bijapur, have neutralised as many as four Maoists associated with the banned CPI Maoist on Tuesday, February 27. The gunfight occurred when a joint team of Bastar Fighters, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and District Reserve were combing near Chote Tungali area.

The said operation was launched upon receiving solid intelligence about the presence of around 40-50 Maoists of the Bhairamgarh Area Committee of the outlaws including the platoon commander of battalion No.2 of the Peoples Liberation Guerilla Army (PLGA), armed wing of the proscribed CPI Maoists.

It was also reported that the presence of the head of the Jantana Sarkar was also indicated in the said area, following which a joint team of security forces was rushed to the Bade and Chote Tungali areas under Jangala police station limits. Upon arriving at the spot, a gunfight broke out between the forces and the outlaws in Sunday afternoon, in which four members of the Maoists group were gun down.

According to the details, sensing the upper hand of the security forces, the Maoists fled the scene after hours of exchange of fire. Once the firing stopped, the joint team conducted a thorough search of the vicinity and recovered four bodies of the extremists.

The forces during the search also seized arms and explosive materials from the spot. The seizure includes guns, country-made pistol, codex wire, Maoist literature, walkie-talkies, and other daily use materials.

Notably, the operation at Bijapur was launched a day after the security forces in another operation launched in the Koyalibeda region of Kanker gunned down as many as three male cadres of the banned outfits on Sunday, February 25.

It is noteworthy that search operations have been amplified and the forces have tightened the grip after the extremists launched a surprise attack on forces at Tekalguda, where the personnel were erecting a security camp in January this year. As many as three security personnel were martyred, while as Maoists were reported to be killed in the retaliatory fire opened by the forces in the said encounter.

Days after the attack, security forces also established a camp in Puverti village of Sukma, an alleged headquarters of the extremists, where the forces have established a tactical headquarters for further operations in the Maoist hotbed. It is assumed that the establishment of a camp at Puverti is a body blow to the extremists as it is home to notorious Maoists like Central Committee Member (CCM) Madavi Hidma and incumbent commander of the PLGA battalion no 01, Barse Deva.