Synopsis
On February 2, Chhattisgarh Police announced the death of eight Maoists in Bijapur district during an encounter with security forces. The senior cadres had a total reward of Rs 16 lakh. A significant weapon cache was also recovered, marking a successful operation against Maoist factions in the region.Key Takeaways
- Eight Maoists killed in Bijapur district.
- Combined reward of Rs 16 lakh for the senior cadres.
- Significant weapons recovered, including an INSAS rifle.
- Operation conducted near Todka village.
- 49 Maoists killed in encounters this year.
Raipur, Feb 2 (NationPress) The Chhattisgarh Police reported on Sunday that eight Maoists were eliminated during an encounter with security forces in the Bijapur district, where senior cadres had a combined reward of Rs 16 lakh.
The District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Chhattisgarh Police announced the destruction of a significant Maoist camp in the Bijapur district, recovering a substantial cache of firearms, including an Indian Small Arms System (INSAS) rifle, a 12-bore rifle, and a Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL).
An official indicated that the anti-Maoist operation took place in a forest area near Todka village under the Gangaloor police station jurisdiction in Bijapur district.
Superintendent of Police (SP) Bijapur, Jitendra Yadav, noted that Kamlesh Neelkanth (24), a member of the Gangaloor area, had a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
Yadav further disclosed that two other deceased Maoists identified during the encounter were Tati Kamlu and Mangal Tati from the Gangaloor LOS (local organisation squad), both of whom had rewards of Rs 3 lakh each.
The remaining Maoists who were killed include Lachchu Potam (40), Shankar Tati (26), Raju Tati, Vijju Padam (22), and Sannu Tati (40), all of whom were active in various Maoist factions and had a reward of Rs 1 lakh each.
During the operation, law enforcement officials also seized one INSAS rifle, one BGL with 10 shells, two 12-bore rifles, four muzzle-loading rifles, and a large quantity of explosives from the encounter site.
Two DRG personnel sustained minor injuries during the clash; however, police reported that their conditions are stable and not life-threatening.
According to the Chhattisgarh Police, a total of 49 Maoists have been killed in various encounters this year, with 33 killed in the Bastar division, which includes seven districts like Bijapur.
Police noted that on January 20-21, 16 Maoists were killed in an encounter in the state’s Gariaband district, part of the Raipur division.
Last year, security forces neutralized 219 Maoists in separate encounters across the state, as reported by law enforcement.
