New Delhi: Police in Chhattisgarh on January 4 disclosed that notorious Maoist commander Vetty Mangdu aka Mukka was among those killed in encounter that broke out between a team of security personnel and Maoists in Sukma’s Pamlur forest area on Saturday.
According to details shared by officials, Maoists neutralised in the exchange of fire on Saturday included of divisional committee member Vetty Mangdu, and area committee member Madvi Hitesh alias Hunga, both carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh each.
Both Mangdu and Hitesh were hardcore Maoists who were involved in numerous attacks resulting in killings of over 180 security personnel and around 80 civilians. Mangdu alone was named in more than 40 cases involving serious crimes while over a dozen cases were pending against Hitesh. Mangdu was said to be in-charge of Maoist’s Konta area committee.
Security forces in an operation launched on Saturday neutralised as many as 12 Maoists including 5 female members in two separate encounters in Bijapur and Sukma district. Those killed in encounter were carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 60 lakhs on their heads and involved in numerous attacks including IED attack in Sukma that led to martyrdom of ASP Aakash Rao Giripunje in June last year.
The operation was launched by personnel of District Reserve Guard (DRG) after receiving inputs about presence of armed Maoists in southern parts of Sukma district. The security team after the gunfight also recovered sophisticated weapons from the site.
Security forces have intensified campaign against Maoists in state’s Bastar division encompassing most-Maoist affected districts like Bijapur and Sukma. Sharing the achievement of security forces in the last 12 months, Bastar IGP Sundarraj P said that more than 250 Maoists were neutralised in around 100 instances of exchange of fire in Bastar in 2025.
The IGP added that more than 800 Naxalites were arrested during search operations with another 1573 Maoists laying down arms before officials. He added that a total of 23 security personnel lost their lives fighting Maoists while over 45 civilians were killed in attacks carried out by members of banned Maoist outfit.
The IGP noted that forces during separate operation have also recovered over 650 weapons and unearthed and destroyed over 800 IEDs planted by Maoists.
