Notorious Modem Balakrishna Among 10 Maoists Killed By Security Forces In Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband Encounter

Gariaband: At least 10 Maoists were gunned down by the security forces in the forested heartlands of Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district on Thursday. According to the police sources, Maoist leader Manoj alias Modem Balakrishna was also reportedly killed in the intense encounter that occurred on the rolling hills and dense woodlands of Gariaband, where security forces locked the Maoist group in a fierce confrontation. 

According to IG Raipur Range Amresh Mishra, an encounter is underway between the security forces and the Maoists in Gariaband, calling it an intermittent exchange of gunfire. 

The encounter between security forces and Maoists has been raging since Thursday morning. The operation, launched on the basis of critical information, saw a joint team comprising E-30, STF, and COBRA personnel venturing into the woodlands of the Mainpur police station area for a deadly showdown. 

Reports suggested that the Maoists have incurred massive losses in the exchange of fire, with around ten of their number reportedly killed in the encounter.

Among the slain Maoists is commander Manoj alias Modem Balkrishna alias Bhaskar, a high-value target with a reward of one crore on his head. However, official confirmation of the fatalities is yet to be ascertained.

Superintendent of Police (SP) Nikhil Rakhecha stated that he is maintaining close contact with the troops on the ground and monitoring the situation. Search operations have been amplified in the area as intermittent gunfire continued to punctuate the tense standoff between the security forces and the Maoists.

Notably, Gariaband district, part of the troubled Bastar belt, has witnessed its share of tensions between the security forces and Maoist elements. 

Maoists Surrender In Narayanpur And Bijapur

Earlier, in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, 16 Maoists from lower-ranking cadres of different units surrendered. According to Narayanpur SP Robinson Guria, these Maoists were disillusioned with the Maoist ideology. SP Guria said top Maoist leaders mislead locals with promises of protecting water, forest, land, equality, and justice, but end up exploiting and enslaving them. 

In a separate incident in Dantewada district, two Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel were injured in an IED blast by Maoists near the Saatdhaar bridge on the Indravati River. The injured personnel were taken to an advanced medical facility for treatment and are now out of danger.

In another similar incident, in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, 30 Maoists surrendered and were rehabilitated. Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma attributed this to the state government's rehabilitation policy, the efforts of security forces, and ongoing development work. The chief minister emphasised the importance of Maoists joining the mainstream to improve their lives.

Further details regarding the ongoing encounter in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband are awaited.