Rose through ranks since 1988, bounty of Rs 25 lakh — top Maoist among those killed in latest encounter

The police officer said Yesobu had risen to the rank of a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee (DKSZC) and that they were trying to find more information about him.

The other eight slain Maoists were identified as Kumari Shanti, a member of platoon 31; Sushila Madkam, an area committee member; Gangi Muchaki, an area committee member in Katekalyan; Kosa Madvi, a member of the Malingir area committee; Lalita, a member of the divisional committee; Kamlesh, a platoon member; and Kavita and Hidem Madkam, who were part of the security team for senior Naxal cadres.

The encounter broke out at 10.30 am on Tuesday in the Loha village in the forest of Purangel and Andri, which is around 50 km from the Dantewada district headquarters. A joint team of Dantewada’s District Reserve Guards (DRG), Bastar Fighters and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) personnel carried out the operation following information on the presence of about 40 cadres of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), which is the armed wing of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist).

Kamlochan Kashyap, Deputy Inspector General of Police, Dantewada, said, “After this operation, there is a sense of fear among the Maoists in the West Bastar and Darbha divisions, which are strongholds of Naxalites. The top Naxalite leadership previously considered this area a safe haven, but after the operation, they are blaming the villagers and lower cadre for the change in dynamics.”