9 Maoists, 2 securitymen killed in Chhattisgarh

RAIPUR: Nine Maoists and two securitymen were killed in two separate encounters in Sukma district of Chhattisgarh’s insurgency-hit Bastar region on Monday, about a week after assembly elections concluded in the state, an official said.

In the first encounter at Saklar village, at least 10 weapons, including an SLR rifle and a .315 rifle, and ammunition were recovered after the gunfight that killed eight Maoists and Dirdo Rama and Madvi Joga, two personnel of the District Reserve Guard (DRG).

The encounters took place during ‘Operation Prahaar 4’ involving 1,200 troopers of a joint team of DRG, Special Task Force (STF), Central Reserve Police Force’s (CRPF’s) elite CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) unit and Telangana police, said Chhattisgarh special director general of police (antiNaxal operations) DM Awasthi.

The first gunfight was triggered by the Maoists who fired at a patrolling team that was cordoning off a forest patch around 9:40am. Awasthi identified two of the Maoists killed as Tati Bhima and woman cadre Podiyam Raje, both carrying a reward of R8 lakh. He said the ground report and bloodstains at the spot indicated that several other Maoists were either killed or wounded.

In the second encounter, another Maoist was shot dead near Elmagunda village. The forest where the encounters happened is about 150km from Sukma town and located at the tri-junction of Chhattisgarh’s Sukma and Bijapur districts, and Telangana’s Kothagudem.

Police say operations Prahaar 1, 2 and 3 in the past one-and-ahalf years have caused massive damage to the Maoists. The fourth edition was launched after the assembly polls, which were conducted in two phases on November 12 and November 20.

THE ENCOUNTERS TOOK PLACE DURING ‘OPERATION PRAHAAR 4’ INVOLVING 1,200 TROOPERS OF A JOINT TEAM OF DRG, STF & CRPF’S COBRA UNIT