Chhattisgarh encounter: Ambush comes two weeks after peace talk call from Naxals

RAIPUR: The banned CPI (Maoist) had expressed its readiness for peace talks with the Chhattisgarh government around two weeks ago and laid down three preconditions. 

The outfit demanded the removal of camps of armed forces from conflict-ridden areas, revoking the ban imposed on Maoists and the release of their party leaders languishing in jails.

But the state government rejected the proposal outright. 

“We can’t accept such preconditions. For initiating any peace talks the Naxals have to first lay down their arms and accept the democratic values,” CM Bhupesh Baghel had asserted. 

The Bijapur incident was the second major Maoist attack inflicting casualties on security forces in the last ten days in Bastar region. 

“The Bijapur incident was not an encounter but a war. It shows the frustration of the Maoists who are restricted to small pockets of Bastar as more and more security camps and development are seen in their areas of influence. They are fighting the last battle with our forces whose sacrifice will not go waste,” said the CM who ruled out any intelligence failure behind the incident.