New Delhi: In another major achievement for the security forces in their ongoing battle against the red terror, a top Maoist commander and central committee member [CCM] Modem Balkrishna alias Bhaskar alias Balana alias Manoj was gunned down in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariyaband district on September 11.
Balkrishna was among the 10 hardcore Maoists who were neutralised in the gunfight that broke out between a joint team of security forces comprising personnel from various units of the state police and Central Reserve Police Force [CRPF] along the forest area of Bhaludigi hills under Mainpur police station limits of Gariyaband district.
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The encounter marks another significant blow to the outlawed CPI [Maoist] who is believed to be already facing a serious crunch of leadership following neutralisation of many of its top guns in separate encounters including its general secretary Nambala Kesav Rao alias Basavaraju in May this year and CCM Gautam alias Sudhakar a fortnight later.
Who was Modem Balkrishna?
An original resident of Manikonta of Ghanpur in Telangana’s Warrangal district, Balkrishna joined the banned outfit in early 80s [1983] by moving into Bhadrachalam forest area. Before joining the outlaws, he was reported to be associated with the Radical Students Union [RSU].
Balkrishna was arrested on multiple occasion before he was released from prison in exchange for abducted TDP legislator Venketaswara Rao in 1990.
He was again arrested by police in 1993 and was released on conditional bail after spending six years in prison in 1999. Balkrishna however soon disappeared from the mainstream following his release.
In his over four-decade association with the Maoist group, Balkrishna rose to the rank of CCM and was said to be in-charge of the Odisha state committee of CPI [Maoist]. He was believed to be the key strategist of Maoist’s [Kandhmal-Kalahandi-Boudh-Nayagarh] KKBN division.
As per reports, Balkrishna was part of both Nayagarh and Malkangiri’s Balimela reservoir attack carried out by Maoists in 2008 that resulted in martyrdom of 13 police personnel and over 30 commandos of grey hound. He was also reported to be involved in 2009 Koraput attack which led to martyrdom of 11 security personnel.
Balkrishna was carrying a whopping bounty of Rs 1 crore as announced by the Chhattisgarh government. He also had a reward of Rs 25 lakhs announced on him by the Odisha government. His encounter on Thursday marked yet another blow to the Maoists who the government wants to eliminate before March next year.
With the encounter on Thursday, security forces have so far neutralised over 240 Maoists in Chhattisgarh. More than 200 Maoists were killed in separate encounters between security forces and Maoists that took place in 2024.
