7 Maoists Killed in Chhattisgarh's Abhujmad in Second Major Crackdown in 15 Days

Bastar: At least 7 Maoists have been killed in Chhattisgarh's Abhujmad in another major anti-naxal operation on Tuesday. After the latest encounter, 86 Maoists have been killed in separate gun battles with security forces in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Kanker, so far this year.

The latest gunfight took place at around 6 am in the forest between Tekmeta and Kakur villages in the Abhujmad area, considered a stronghold of Maoists, when a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Maoist operation. 

Arms and Ammunition Recovered

Speaking to reporters, IG Bastar P Sundarraj said, “Today in the jungles of Abujhmad at Narayanpur Kanker border area, an encounter broke out between the Naxals and DRG Narayanpur and STF team. Encounter is underway. As per the information received, the bodies of seven Naxalites including 2 women have been recovered. A huge quantity of weapons and ammunition including one AK 47 recovered from the encounter site...Search is underway...”

After the exchange of fire stopped, the bodies of seven Maoists, including two women, were recovered from the spot. An AK-47 rifle and a cache of other weapons and explosives were also seized from the spot, he said, adding that a search operation was still underway in the area. The identity of the killed Maoists was yet to be ascertained, the official added. 

Second Major Strike on Maoists in 15 days

This is the second major strike on Maoists by security forces in 15 days.  Earlier on April 16, security personnel gunned down 29 Maoists, including some senior cadres, in Kanker district in the biggest encounter ever in the state. That was the highest number of fatalities suffered by Maoists in a single encounter in the history of the state’s fight against Left Wing Extremism. 

On April 2, as many as 13 Maoists  were killed, while six Maoists were gunned down on March 27 in encounters with security forces in Bijapur district.

‘Surgical Strike' by Bastar Police

Terming the encounter as a "surgical strike" by the Bastar police, deputy CM Sharma said, "It was for the first time on the anti-Naxal front that in a face-to-face fight, security forces were completely dominant over Maoists  and did not give them a chance to recover." "We want talks (with Maoists )....whether they do it in a group or through representatives. Bastar needs peace. We are committed to this," he added.