Team News Riveting
Jagdalpur, April 16
Security forces killed 29 Maoists in an encounter that took place in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district on Tuesday afternoon.
The development is seen as a major breakthrough in the on-going operations against the Left-Wing Extremists going on in Chhattisgarh after the BJP government came to power in December last. It is also one of the biggest casualties inflicted on the rebels.
The joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) and District Reserve Police (DRG) on Tuesday afternoon launched an operation in the Hapatola forest (about 15 km east of Chhotabetiya police station). The rebels laid an ambush between Binagunda and Coronar under Chhotabetiya police station area of district Kanker and attacked the security personnel.
The jawans grilled the rebels from three corners and gave a befitting reply. After the gun battle, the Maoists fled into the forests. The security forces later launched a search operation in the area and were shocked to note the heavy casualty on the rebels.
Bastar Inspector General of Police (IG) Sundarraj P said 29 bodies of Maoists had been recovered so far while the search operation was still on. A huge cache of arms and ammunition including INSAS, AK 47 Rifles, SLR, Carbine, .303 Rifles were also recovered from the spot, he added.
Three soldiers were injured in the action. The condition of the injured soldiers is reportedly to be stable and out of danger.
Among the killed Maoists in the encounter include top leader Shankar Rao, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head.
Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister and Home Minister Vijay Sharma said a large number of Maoists had been neutralised. “I would like to congratulate the jawans of the security forces…We are all working under the leadership of CM Vishnu Deo Sai. Union HM Amit Shah is giving us guidance and all that is necessary will be done to eradicate Maoists problem from Bastar,” he added.
