As many as three Maoists were killed in an ongoing encounter between the security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur on April 6.
The anti-Maoists operation is led by Telangana’s Greyhounds with auxiliary support from Chhattisgarh Police in the Karriguta forests of Pujari Kanker on the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border. The bodies of the Maoists and their weapons were recovered from the spot.
The weapons, including a light machine gun (LMG) and an AK-47, have been recovered from the spot so far.
Earlier, a Maoist was killed in an encounter between security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada on April 5, a police official said.
The encounter took place in a forest under Kirandul police station limits when District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were out on an anti-Maoist operation, the official said.
“The operation was launched on April 4 based on inputs about the presence of Maoists in Purangel, Badepalli, Doditumnar and Gampur areas. After the exchange of fire ended, the body of a male Maoist and a weapon were recovered from the spot,” officials said.
On April 3, in one of the biggest anti-Maoist operations, a total of 13 Maoists were killed in the encounter with the security agencies in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh.
The fierce firefight that broke out on April 2 ended the next day, security forces informed through an official release.
“Chhattisgarh Police recorded one of its biggest successes in the history of anti-Naxal operations. We can now confirm that in the operation conducted by more than a thousand security forces in the Lendra and Korcholi areas of Gangalur in Bijapur district on the night of April 1 and April 2, 13 Maoists were killed. Their bodies have been recovered. We have also received reports that a large number of Maoists are seriously injured,” Inspector General of Police (IG), Bastar Range, P Sundarraj had said.
The police said the area where the firefight took place was considered a safe haven for Maoists, but over the last three months, 16 new camps of security forces have come up in the area. The soldiers covered a difficult journey of about 20 km through forests and mountains overnight.
Soldiers equipped with night vision binoculars and new-age weapons from Mutavendi, Palanar, Gangalur, Basaguda and Cherpal security camps launched the operation.
The search was launched after information was received that Company No. 2 of Gangalur Area Committee of the West Bastar Division, which is the second-most powerful organisation of the Maoists, had been spotted in the Bijapur district.
(with inputs from ANI)
