At least 13 Maoists, including a woman, were gunned down in Bijapur in one of the biggest security operations in Bastar division of Chhattisgarh. Additionally, two Maoists, carrying a combined reward of Rs 43,00,000, were shot dead in a shootout in Balaghat district of Madhya Pradesh, police said.
The discovery of a light machine-gun, AK-47 rifles, and several under-barrel grenade launchers (UBGL) in Bijapur suggests the presence of a high-ranking Maoist leader among those killed. Chhattisgarh police earlier gave the toll at 10 later revising to 13 as three more bodies were recovered. Since the Vishnu Deo Sai-led BJP govt took office last Dec, a total of 47 Maoists have been killed in the state.
Police sources attributed the success of the operation to accurate and timely technical intelligence. Authorities were alerted about the movement of around 100 heavily armed Maoists in the Gangaloor region, a known insurgency hot spot near the Telangana border. Responding to the intelligence, a joint force comprising CoBRA commandos, CRPF, District Reserve Guards, and Special Task Force mobilised to intercept them.
The shootout ensued around 6 am when security forces engaged the Maoists in the forests between Lendra and Korcholi villages in Gangaloor. The ensuing gunfight resulted in the recovery of the bodies of four Maoists initially, followed by nine more and additional weaponry and Maoist material.
