Chhattisgarh: 15 Maoists gunned down in Bijapur encounter, search operation underway
Intelligence reports suggest that several senior cadres have been either killed or critically injured during the operation.
At least 15 Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh as part of a large-scale operation against ultras in the region, the police said on Wednesday.
Police said that the number could increase, and a search operation is underway.
“The encounter took place in the wee hours of Wednesday. According to preliminary information, 15 to 18 Maoists have been killed in the dense forests surrounding the Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. A search operation is on, and more details will be provided in the next few hours,” a senior police officer, who is reviewing the operation, said.
The massive operation, described as one of the largest counter-insurgency missions in Bastar, involves around 24,000 personnel from various units, including Chhattisgarh Police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and its elite CoBRA unit.
Authorities launched the offensive following intelligence inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders, including those from the Telangana state committee and the heavily armed ‘Battalion number 1’ — regarded as the strongest militia of the Maoists.
According to police, the Karregutta hill range serves as a stronghold for the battalion. Intelligence reports suggest that several senior cadres have been either killed or critically injured during the operation.
On Monday, one woman Maoist was gunned down but her identity is still unknown.
On April 24, three women Naxals were gunned down in the same region, and a significant cache of weapons, explosives, and other materials was seized.
So far, hundreds of Maoist hideouts and bunkers have been destroyed, and large quantities of explosives, detonators, food supplies, and daily-use items have been recovered.
Six security personnel from STF, DRG, and CoBRA units sustained injuries in separate pressure IED blast incidents but are reported to be out of danger.
