12 Maoists killed in encounter, says CRPF

The Maoists also hit the chopper and injure an IAF personnel on board.

Confirming the report, CRPF IG H S Siddhu said, in a first such encounter in the area in two years, the CRPF men killed cadres of People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army. “We have inputs that 12-15 Maoists were killed and 25 were seriously injured in the encounter,” he said.

63 Maoists surrender in Bastar

Raipur: In what could be the biggest such case in Chhattisgarh ever, as many as 63 alleged Maoists, including three women, surrendered before the Narayanpur police in Bastar division on Wednesday.

“Of these, 33 belonged to various Maoist outfits, like Jantana Sarkars, Chetna Natya Manch and Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Mazdoor Sangh, and 30 worked as Jan Militia members,” said Bastar IG SRP Kalluri.

The three women were given an instant cash reward of Rs 5,000 each as protsahan raashi, and 30 men were given Rs 2,000 each in the programme attended by top police officials. All these 33 had warrants against them.

Those who surrendered were from Temarugaon, Cherang, Netanar, Korenda and Matala villages in the district. Claiming that in the Bastar division, instances of Maoists surrender have increased, Kalluri said: “Our forces have put consistent pressure on the Maoists in the past few months that has prompted them join the mainstream.” However, locals and Maoists have often claimed that police present villagers, often masked, before media, show them as surrendered Naxals.