7 Maoists killed in the ongoing Bijapur operation, prominent leader Bharat News among those
New Delhi: At least seven Maoists, including two top leaders of non -declared CPI (Maoist), have been killed in a series of encounters with security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh in the last three days, police said on Saturday. Naxal operations are taking place inside the dense forest area of Indravati National Park.The latest casualties include two major figures: Narasimha Chalm alias Sudhakar, a member of the Central Committee, and Bhaskar alias Melrapu Edelu, a special zonal committee (SZC) members of the Telangana State Committee (TSC) of Maoists. Sudhakar gave a reward of Rs 40 lakh, while Bhaskar received a joint reward of Rs 45 lakh declared by the governments of Chhattisgarh and Telangana.Police Inspector, Buster Range, P Sundararaj, cited by news agency ANI, said, “So far, a total of 7 bodies of Maoist cadres have been recovered by security forces during the ongoing Naxal operations in the National Park area of Bijapur district.” “These include the bodies of Gautam alias Sudhakar, a member of the Central Committee and Bhaskar, a member of the Telangana State Committee.”According to PTI, the recovery of two bodies on Saturday followed a gun battle, while three others met after an encounter between Friday and Saturday night. The identity of five other Maoists killed, including two women, is not yet known.Operation was launched on 4 June, including Sudhakar, Bandi Prakash, and Pappa Rao, a specific intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders, which are associated with Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC). Chhattisgarh Police’s Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and CRPF Elite are involved in the personnel joint operation of Cobra Unit.Security forces have also seized an important cash of arms and ammunition from two AK -47 rifles and explosive sites, including two AK -47 rifles and explosives, according to officials quoted by news agency PTI. Search and area domination efforts are on in the rugged area to neutralize any remaining Maoist appearance.Some personnel maintained injuries during the operation due to snake bites, honeybee stings, dehydration and other challenges related to forest war. “They are being focused on proper treatment. Their condition is normal and out of danger,” Sundaraj said.This operation is the third major setback for Maoist hierarchy in Chhattisgarh in only three weeks. On 21 May, CPI (Maoist) general secretary Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavraju, 70, was killed in a large -scale encounter in Abujmarh forest area of Narayanpur district. A total of 26 other Maoists were neutralized in that action.Officials say that the aim of continuous operations in Bijapur is to completely clean the Maoist-infected forest belt and uproot the leadership network that has long directed the armed rebellion in Central India.
