Chhattisgarh Police killed 31 Naxalites simultaneously in Bijapur. Naxalites were shocked by this operation launched from the neighboring state of Maharashtra. Two soldiers were also martyred in a fierce firing from both sides, while two were injured. Naxalites killed in this encounter on a wild hill in Indravati National Park area on Sunday include many very dreaded and 11 women.
A police officer said, “We had received information about the presence of Naxalites’ Telangana State Committee, West Bastar Division and the Cadre of the Newar Park Ariar Committee. Prior to the Tectical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC), he called a meeting in the forest of Indravati National Park. Naxalites perform TCOC between March and June, during which they increase their activities.
The official said that on 7 February, Chhattisgarh Police’s Combat Units, District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF) and Bastar Fighters were called in different directions areas. “To use the surprise element as a strategy, some teams were called from the launching pads of Maharashtra Police in Indravati National Park,” he said.
The patrolling teams reached the hill on Sunday morning, where Naxalites were seen. Serving the hill, the security personnel continued to move forward and the firing started at 8 am. The official said, ‘Naxalites were divided into two groups amid firing. One group that had cadre of Telangana Committee began to retreat, while the other group remained in firing. The Naxalites were surprised to see the team that entered Maharashtra, as they did not expect such a large number of security personnel coming from this direction. Till four o’clock in the evening, there was intermittent firing. The official said that the strategy of change in the route helped to achieve a major success, in which 31 Naxalites were killed.
The encounter site is about 80 km from Bijapur district headquarters and 40 km from Maharashtra border. The three -day operation security forces reached there for about 100 km. The slain Naxalites, the bodies of the martyred soldiers and the injured were airlifted. Some soldiers, mostly women commandos, had fallen victim to dehydration. All were airlifted and brought to Bijapur.
24 weapons, large quantities of explosives were recovered from the encounter site. Out of the 31 Naxalites killed, 5 were identified as extremely uproar cadre, which had a total reward of Rs 25 lakh. Hanga Karma, a divisional committee member of West Bastar Division, was declared an Inna of 8 lakh rupees. This year 81 Naxalites have been killed in Chhattisgarh, out of which 65 have been piled up in Bastar. Last year 219 Naxalites were killed.