Map depicting the State of Chhattisgarh in yellow along Security Forces (organiser)
Gariaband: In yet another major success for the security forces against the outlawed CPI (Maoist), as many as 16 Maoists were gunned down in an ongoing encounter near the Odisha border in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh, officials said.
The operation was launched following inputs of presence of large number of Maoist cadres in forest area of Bhalu-Diggi of Kulhari Ghat under Mainpur police station limits near Chhattisgarh-Odisha interstate borders on January 19 and still underway.
The gunfight between the joint team of security forces and the ultras broke out on Monday. After the intermittent firing stopped bodies of two women Maoists were recovered on Monday evening.
The gunfight resumed on late Monday night and bodies of another 10 Maoists were recovered from the spot in the early hours of January 21. The death toll of Maoists is expected to increase.
A top Maoist cadre Jairam alias Chalpati carrying a bounty of Rs 1 crore was also reported to be killed in the encounter. Jairam was a member of the Central Committee of the banned CPI (Maoist). With the latest inclusion the number of Maoists killed in separate encounters across the state in January has surpassed the figure of 40.
The operation was launched by a joint team of security forces comprising around 700 personnel from separate units of Chhattisgarh and Odisha police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF). A jawan of CRPF elite unit was also wounded in the gunfight after which he was airlifted to Raipur on Monday. His condition is reported to be stable.
The joint team has also recovered Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs), arms and ammunition including SLR rifle from the encounter site. The operation is still reported to be underway and more details about the gunfight are awaited.
Reacting to the development, Chhattisgarh Dy CM Arun Sao says, “Union Home Minister Amit Shah has announced that we will make the nation Naxal-free by March 31, 2026. Our security forces are also bravely working in this direction. They are succeeding constantly. I extend my greetings to the security forces for their achievement in Gariaband. Ending Naxalism is essential for the development of the state.”
On January 16, a major operation involving around two thousand personnel from separate units of CRPF, its elite jungle warfare unit CoBRA and specialised counter-insurgency units of Chhattisgarh police was launched in the south Bastar area.
A gunfight between the joint team of security forces and the Maoists, lasting for hours led to a significant damage to the Maoist side causing 18 fatalities.
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