RAIPUR: At least twenty-two Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces during the ongoing anti-Maoist operation ‘Mission Sankalp’ in the volatile south-west forest border area of Bijapur district adjoining Telangana, a senior police officer said on Wednesday.
The gunbattle broke out in the morning near the Karregutta hilly terrain along the interstate border. “So far, 22 bodies have been recovered as the search operation continues in the region. The identity of the dead Maoists are yet to be established,” he said.
In the past two weeks of the massive offensive in south Bastar, security forces have gunned down 26 Maoists, including three women Naxalites who were killed in an exchange of fire on April 24, followed by the neutralisation of one woman Maoist on 5 May.
“Several weapons have been recovered during the ongoing ‘decisive’ inter-state operation involving more than 15,000 security personnel over the past 12 days, as troops continue to march cautiously ahead towards the lesser-known Karregutta forested hills, surrounded by dense terrain, believed to be a crucial safe haven for senior Maoist leaders including top commanders of their battalion,” the officer said.
Based on specific intelligence inputs about Maoist presence along the south-western border areas of Bijapur, a joint team comprising personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), CRPF and its elite CoBRA unit launched an anti-Maoist campaign.
“During the operation underway, an encounter took place between the forces and the Maoists on Wednesday. So far, the bodies of 26 Maoists have been recovered under Operation Mission Sankalp since April 21,” he added.
In the past few days of this major counter-insurgency drive, security forces have located several Maoist bunkers, hideouts and improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
Owing to the inhospitable topography, the forces have been unable to recover all bodies of the Maoists killed, the officer said.
Around six jawans have been injured in pressure IED blasts during various stages of the operation. Their conditions are said to be stable and out of danger.
This year, 168 Maoists have been killed in various encounters across Chhattisgarh, including 151 in the Bastar division. The Red rebels have also killed nine civilians in separate incidents in the Bastar region, which includes seven Maoist-affected districts.