“Stop civilian killings, surrender IEDs”: Chhattisgarh government ask Maoists

Raipur: Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma on September 22 responded to Maoist’s offer to lay down arms and hold talks with government.

Interacting with media, the deputy CM said that the banned group need to show clear intent on the issue to win the trust, given their old tradition.

“We have received a letter from Maoist’s spokesperson Abhay and another letter which include his personal opinion, that is fine. We have also received a voice note and another letter from Telangana State Zonal Committee. They [Maoists] have some conflict, but we have made it clear that they first need to stop civilian killings if they want us to trust their words,” said the deputy CM while noting that the government is familiar with the old tradition of the outlawed group.

He added that the Maoists should either unearthed the IEDs planted by themselves or share the locations of IEDs with security forces.

“They should remove the IEDs planted by them or inform the nearest security camp about its location so that we can unearth it. People, security personnel and even the animals should not be harmed by these IEDs anymore, ” said Sharma.

The deputy CM added that the Maoists should show more clear intent, as they have carried out with their campaign even after writing these letters.

Sharma’s response has arrived days after a letter from Maoist’s Central Committee spokesperson Abhay alias Bhupati, offering to lay down arms surfaced in the media.

In view of the changed global and national circumstances and repeated appeal by the Prime Minister, Union Home Minister and senior police officials to give up arms and join mainstream, we have decided to lay down arms and declare a ‘temporary halt to the armed struggle’, read the letter.

The Naxals in the letter had also asked the government to announce a one-month ‘ceasefire’ and suspend the ongoing search operations to allow internal consultations with its members operating across states and those lodged in prison.

The letter added that the proscribed outfit is ready to hold talks with Union Home Minister or persons appointed by him or with a delegation.

Meanwhile security forces have continued with their anti-Maoist campaign in the state. A join team of security personnel on Monday neutralised two top Maoist leaders in an exchange of fire in Abujhmad region along the Maharashtra border.

The gunfight broke out in the forest area near Nelangur under Kohkameta police station limits on Monday morning after which the joint team recovered bodies of two hardcore Maoists. They were later identified as Katta Ramchandra Reddy alias Vikalp alias Raju Dada and Kadari Satyanarayan Reddy alias Kosa Dada, both CC members of the outlawed CPI [Maoist].

They were both active in the Dandkaranya Special Zonal Committee for over three decades and carrying a collective reward of Rs 1.40 crore.

Read full report at: Two top Maoists, carrying 80 lakh bounty killed in encounter in Abujhmad

Security forces have intensified campaign against Maoists in Chhattisgarh and other regions marred by red terror lately. Around 250 Maoists have been so far killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh since January this year.

This include neutralisation of CC members Gautam alias Sudhakar, Vikalp, Kosa Dada, Modem Balakrishna and former General Secretary of the outlawed group Nambala Kesavrao alais Basavaraju. The Union Government has announced a deadline to eliminate armed Maoist-insurgency from Bharat by March 2026.