As many as eight Maoists were neutralised in a major encounter between the Maoist and security forces in Abujhmaad of Narayanpur in Chhattisgarh on Saturday, June 15. The operation was launched on Thursday and is reported to be still underway.
According to the preliminary information received, the gunfight resulted in neutralisation of 8 Maoist cadres following a brief exchange of fire between the Maoists and a joint team of security forces comprising of personnel from District Reserve Guard (DRG), Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and Special Task Forces (STF).
A jawan has also lost his life in line of duty while two more personnel have sustained injuries during the gunfight that has occurred in the Dhurbeda and Farasbeda area of Maad region, a stronghold of the banned CPI Maoist.
Bodies of those killed in the action have been recovered while intermittent firing is still underway in the area. It’s been reported that the number of the Maoist killed in the action could escalate further.
#UPDATE | A total of 8 naxals killed so far in an encounter with security forces in Abujhmarh. One jawan died in the line of duty, two injured: Police official#Chhattisgarh
— ANI (@ANI) June 15, 2024
Notably two personnel of ITBP had also sustained injuries after they accidently stepped upon an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) between forest of Kotul and Mohandi village under Kohkameta police station limits of Narayanpur on Friday morning.
It is worth mentioning here that prior to the ongoing encounter, a total of 128 Maoist have already been killed in separate operations launched by the forces in Bastar division which encompasses core Maoist zone of Abujhmaad and other pockets of Bijapur and Sukma district.
In a similar development earlier, security forces had also eliminated as many as seven Maoists in an exchange of fire took place between Mungedi and Govel villages near the inter-district border of Dantewada, Kondagaon and Narayanpur on Friday, June 7.
Further a separate operation launched by the personnel of Bastar Fighters and Special Task Force had also resulted in neutralisation of a total of 7 Maoists in the Maad region on May 23.
More than 800 personnel of separate units of security forces were part of the operation that was launched after credible inputs of presence of Maoist cadres of the Indravati Area Committee of the outlawed CPI Maoist.
The operation launched in the second last week of May follows another similar counter-insurgency drive launched by the forces in Gangloor area of Bijapur district where a total of 12 Maoists were killed in Pedia village on May 10.
This follows back to back major offensive launched by the forces in Chotebethiya of Kanker and Tekmeta of Maad region in April which resulted in killing of 39 cadres of the banned Maoist outfit.
Surrounded by dense forests and unexplored terrain, Abujhmaad region of Narayanpur is considered home to the top leadership of Maoists which provides a safe passage to the hinterlands of neighboring Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra, another stronghold of the extremists.
Notably the forces in recent years have strengthened their presence in the areas adjoining to Abujhmaad by opening up security camps which has ultimately resulted in carrying out major operations in areas earlier considered a no go zone for the forces.
