'Sab Log Jo Shaheed Hue': Congress Leader Supriya Shrinate Demands Probe Into Chhattisgarh Encounter

New Delhi: A day after 29 Maoists, including some top cadres, were killed in what is being seen as “the biggest encounter ever” between the security forces and the Maoists in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh, Congress National Spokesperson Supriya Shrinate while addressing a press conference at the AICC headquarters on Wednesday, demanded a probe into the operation, even as she addressed the deceased Maoists as ‘Shaheed’ (martyrs) while extending her sympathies to them.

Responding to a question on the unprecedented encounter in the violence-torn region, the Congress leader said, “Iski gehri jaach honi chahiye…aur sab log jo shaheed hue aur humaare Suraksha Karmi bhi kuch ghaayal hue… un sabko humaari samvednaaye hain [A thorough investigation should be launched into this operation… We extend our heartfelt condolences and sympathies to the martyrs who laid down their lives, as well as the security personnel who were left injured in the last night's encounter]”.

Ahead of the first phase of polling in Chhattisgarh, security personnel yesterday gunned down 29 Maoists in the biggest encounter ever in the state, police said.

The fatalities suffered by the Maoists are believed to be the highest in a single-encounter in the history of the state's fight against extremism. 

Since the beginning of 2024, as many as 79 Maoists have been neutralised in separate gun-battles with security forces in their stronghold: the Bastar region.

Three security personnel also suffered injuries in the fierce gun-battle and a large cache of weapons was recovered from the spot, officials said.

Terming the encounter as a “surgical strike”, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma called the operation a major success, while asserting that the credit for it goes to the brave security personnel.

How the Encounter Between Security Forces and Maoists Unfolded:

The gunfight began at around 2pm in Hapatola forest between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits, when “a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) was out on an anti-Naxal operation”, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI.

The operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of top leaders of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) –  Shankar, Lalita, Raju – in the north Bastar division. Shankar and Lalita, both divisional committee members of the north Bastar division of Maoists, are believed to be amongst the deceased. 

"Bodies of 29 Maoists along with a huge cache of weapons, including AK-47, SLR, Insas and .303 rifles were recovered from the spot," PTI quoted the IG as saying.

Additionally, three security personnel sustained injuries in the fierce gunfight and their condition was stated to be out of danger, Sundarraj further said.

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 the Bijapur district of the state.

Polling in the Maoist-hit Bastar Lok Sabha seat will take place on April 19 in the first phase, while the Kanker constituency, part of the Bastar region, will vote in the second round of general elections on April 26.