Chhattisgarh: 8 Maoists, one cop killed in encounter

The operation was undertaken based on inputs about the presence of members of the Maad Division and the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army of the banned CPI Maoist in the forest of Kutul, Farsabeda and Kodameta.

In the encounter, which started at 7 am, constables Nitesh Aekka (27), Kailash Netam (33) and Lekhram Netam (28) sustained injuries. Nitesh died during treatment.

The operation was jointly undertaken by the District Reserve Guards (DRG) and the Special Task Force from four districts – Narayanpur, Kondagaon, Kanker and Dantewada. The task force also includes personnel from the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) 53rd Corps.

Security personnel have seized an INSAS rifle, a .303 rifle, and a barrel grenade launcher from the Maoists.

This year could see the highest number of Maoist casualties in Chhattisgarh’s history. According to officials in the security establishment, 131 Naxals have been killed in anti-Maoist operations in 2024 so far, while 22 civilians and 10 security personnel have lost their lives. This is significantly higher than 2023, when 24 Maoists were killed.

This figure was the highest in 2016, when 134 Maoists were killed. In 2018, 112 Maoists were killed, while in 2009, this figure was 107.

Out of the 131 Naxals killed so far this year, 51 were in Bijapur, 34 in Kanker, 26 in Narayanpur, and 20 in other districts of Bastar region.

Sources in the central security establishment said the increased number of encounters and the greater success against Maoists is the result of the state police force taking the lead, better coordination between state police and central forces, work done in the past few years to open camps deep in Maoist core areas, and the Centre making a final push to eliminate left-wing extremism.

Speaking on the fight against Naxalism in an interview to The Indian Express, Home Minister Amit Shah had said last month, “Today, it’s confined to three districts; the fight slowed down during five years of the Congress rule in Chhattisgarh. In five months since we have been there, 125 Naxalites have been killed, 350 have surrendered; 250 have been arrested. Naxalism won’t live for more than two years.”

A central security establishment officer said that “the state police have got their act together”. “Most of these successful encounters have been conducted either solely by the special forces of the state police or led by them. Also, the DRG have come of age and are now operating with full force. Historically, all Maoist insurgencies have been defeated by state police and not central forces.”

A home ministry official said a multi-pronged approach being pursued for the past few years is finally bearing fruit.

“Along with strengthening the security grid, the Centre has laid stress on improving infrastructure and connectivity in terms of taking roads to Maoist bastions and installing telecom towers. More than 20 security force camps have been opened deep in Maoist core areas, including Abujhmaad, in the past six months alone. All of this has helped with generation of better intelligence, swift movement of forces and hot pursuit of Maoist in their core areas,” the official said.