RAIPUR: At least three cadres of CPI (Maoist) including two females were killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in the hilly forested terrain of Tumalpad in Sukma district, about 500 km south of Raipur, the Bastar police said on Sunday.
“A search operation was launched by a team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) after receiving credible information about the presence of Maoists in the Tumalpad forested landscape. An exchange of fire ensued in the region and intermittently continued since morning in the forest. Three bodies have been recovered so far from the encounter scene”, Kiran Chavan, Sukma district police chief said.
The deceased Maoists were identified as Madvi Deva (a Jan-militia commander and Konta Area Committee member), Podium Gangi (Konta Area Committee CNM Commander) and Sodi Gangi (Area Committee Member of Kistaram). Each carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh on their heads, the Sukma SP added.
The forces also recovered a.303 rifle, Barrel Grenade Launcher (BGL) launchers, other weapons and ammunition from the location.
“Maoist cadres have no option except to abandon the violent path and embrace the government's rehabilitation policy. The so-called ‘revolutionary movement’ now stands exposed as a hollow shell, abandoned by its own cadres. The ideology of violence and destruction has lost all relevance. The Bastar police remain committed to dismantling the remnants of the CPI (Maoist) network”, Sundarraj Pattilingam, Bastar Range IGP, affirmed.
A total of 233 Maoists including Central Committee Members, Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) Members and Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) cadres have been killed in Bastar Range so far in the year 2025.
Sukma, among the seven Maoist-affected districts in Bastar zone, is cited as an epicentre of the left-wing extremist group in south Chhattisgarh.