Chhattisgarh: 2 Maoists carrying ₹11 lakh reward killed in encounter in Sukma

Two Maoists, including a woman, were killed in a gunfight in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Monday, police said, adding that they recovered explosives and a rifle from the encounter site.

Police have identified the Maoists as Golapalli Local Organisation Squad (LOS) commander Erra and woman cadre Podiyam Bhime, deputy commander of the same squad. According to officials, they collectively carried a reward of ₹11 lakh on their heads.

According to a press statement released by Bastar police on Monday, the encounter took place around 5.30am in a forest near Danteshpuram village under Bheji police station in South Sukma.

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A team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation along with the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite unit Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) following specific inputs of Maoists presence in the village, read the statement.

“We had specific inputs about the presence of LOS Naxal commander Madkam Erra in the area, and hence an operation was launched on Sunday night,” said inspector general of police (IGP), Bastar range, Sunderaj P.

He said that the teams reached the village around 5am on Monday.

The encounter started when security forces were cordoning off Danteshpuram forest, and Maoists opened fire at them, said the IG. “After the gunfight, we recovered the two bodies of Maoists,” he added.

“Erra and Bhime were carrying rewards of ₹8 lakh and ₹3 lakh respectively on their heads,” the IG said.