The CAF and District Reserve Guard (DRG) teams are conducting search operations to capture the assailants. (File Photo)
The commander of a Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) company was axed to death Sunday by Maoists when he was out to buy vegetables near a police camp in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district.
The killing took place barely 200 metres from the camp in Jaigur at around 9.30 am. Tijau Ram Bhuarya, 52, an inspector-rank officer who served as the commander of a company in the fourth battalion of the CAF, was accompanied by two armed security personnel during the time. They were purchasing supplies for the force in the camp, which was set up in 2021.
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A police official said: “We suspect there were seven to eight Maoists, among whom two executed the attack. The incident has been witnessed by the public and efforts are on to find eyewitnesses,” said the official.
The two security personnel, meanwhile, escaped and alerted the camp. By the time additional forces arrived, the Maoists had gotten away and Bhuarya had succumbed to multiple chest injuries.
An official from Bijapur said: “Bhuarya was an experienced officer who has been part of anti-Maoist operations in different parts of Bastar. He had 20 years of service experience. The Maoists were militia members — that is, they stay in the village and collect information on police movements.”
Bhuarya was a resident of Bhanupratappur in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district. He is survived by his wife and two children.
Police said Maoists usually carry out a recce of police movement before executing a surprise attack such as this. A team of CAF and District Reserve Guard (DRG) is now conducting search operations.
Jayprakash S Naidu is a Principal Correspondent for The Indian Express, currently serving as the state correspondent for Chhattisgarh. With an extensive career in frontline journalism, he reports on the political, security, and humanitarian landscape of Central India.
Expertise and Experience
Specialized Conflict Reporting: Jayprakash is a leading voice on the Maoist/Naxalite conflict in the Bastar region. His reporting provides a critical, ground-level view of:
Internal Security: Tracking high-stakes encounters, surrender programs for senior Maoist leaders, and the establishment of security camps in formerly inaccessible "heartland" villages.
Tribal Rights & Displacement: Investigative reporting on the identity and land struggles of thousands of displaced tribals fleeing conflict zones for neighboring states.
Governance & Bureaucratic Analysis: He consistently monitors the evolution of Chhattisgarh as it marks 25 years of statehood, covering:
Electoral Politics: Analyzing the shift in power between the BJP and Congress and the impact of regional tribal movements.
Public Policy: Reporting on landmark infrastructure projects (e.g., mobile connectivity in remote zones) and judicial interventions, such as High Court rulings on civil and family law.
Diverse Investigative Background: Prior to his current focus on Chhattisgarh, Jayprakash held reported from Maharashtra, where he specialized in:
Crisis & Disaster Management: Notable for his extensive coverage of the Cyclone Tauktae barge tragedy (P-305) and the COVID-19 pandemic’s impact on frontline personnel.
Legal & Human Rights: Investigative pieces for platforms like Article-14, focusing on police accountability and custodial deaths across India.
Environmental & Social Justice: Authoritative reporting on the Hasdeo Aranya forest protests and the approval of major tiger reserves, highlighting the tension between industrial mining and environmental preservation. ... Read More
