How do security forces succeed in Kanker encounter?

The joint team of security forces carried out an encounter in the jungles of Binagunda, Chote Bethiya Police Station limits of Kanker District of Bastar Division and successfully killed 29 armed Maoists including wanted Bastar North Zone DVC leader Shankar Rao and Lalita on Tuesday.

Police received concrete intelligence input about the presence of 50-60 Maoists in the jungle of Binaguda on April 15, 2024. When the information was verified, three teams of security forces including District Reserve Guards (DRG), Border Security Force (BSF) and Chhattisgarh Armed Special Force were dispatched.

Police opened counter fire when they reached close to 300 meters to the Naxal camp. Naxal leaders were resting after having lunch, when they saw security forces cordoning off they opened fire. The encounter lasted up to more than 5 hours in two phases. First encounter took place around 2 pm in the jungle which lasted for an hour. After firing stopped, jawans searched the site of the encounter and found 8 bodies of armed Naxals fallen on the ground.

As the jawans moved forward, the Naxals retreated and tried to escape the scene but found themselves trapped in the ambush laid by the security forces. The forces asked them to surrender but they fired upon the security forces. The security forces and armed naxals engaged in the gunfight for around five hours. After the gunfight stopped around 7.30, the jawans carried out combing operations of the area. In the beginning forces found 11 bodies later on the final tally reached to 29, one jawan involved in the encounter informed. Meanwhile, after the encounter was over, and bodies were collected the IG Bastar Sundarraj P addressed a joint press conference and shared a brief account of the whole encounter.

It was also claimed that dreadful DVC leader Shankar Rao (47) and Lalita (50) were killed in the fierce gun battle with security forces. Shankar used to wield AK47 along with him. Police put a bounty of 8 lakh on the heads of both the Naxals. In the whole operation, three jawans received bullet injuries were admitted in the multi-speciality Hospital of Raipur and reported out of danger. Security forces recovered AK47-1, Insas Rifle -02, SLR-01, carbine – 01, .303 rifle- 03, 315 bore rifle – 02, 9MM pistol- 02, country made rocket launcher- 02, Bharmar gun- 08, country made hand grenade- 01, and huge cache of arms and ammunition, explosive, objectionable naxal literature, and daily use items from the site of encounter, Senior Superintendent of Police Kanker, IK Elsela said.

Bastar police has identified bodies of 9 naxals killed in fierce encounter are –

■ North Bastar Division Committee member Shankar Rao,

■ North Bastar Division Committee member Lalitha Madhvi North Bastar Division Committee.

■ Jugni @Malthi, Prathapur Area Committee

■ Shuklal, Prathapur Area Committee

■ Srikanth , Prathapur Area Committee

■ Rupi, Medki LOS commander Ramshila - North Bastar Division Committee

■ Rajitha, wife of Shankar Rao, North Bastar Division Committee Notably, in the three months of the Sai government, police arrested 125 wanted Maoists, 150 naxals surrendered and 79 armed Maoists were killed in the various encounters.