Six Maoists killed in encounter; 17 shot dead this month

RAIPUR: Six Maoists, including two women, were gunned down by security forces in an encounter in Bijapur district of Bastar on Wednesday morning, apparently in retaliation to the murder of three villagers on Holi.
Seventeen Maoists have been eliminated this month alone, taking the insurgent body count to 37 since the Vishnu Deo Sai govt took over in December 2023.
Those killed carried a combined bounty of Rs 16 lakh, the most senior of them being Nagesh Punem, deputy commander of PLGA platoon 10, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh. His wife, Vetti Soni, who had a bounty of Rs 2 lakh was killed as well.
The other woman cadre was identified as Kowasi Gangi, an area committee member and president of Chetna Natya Manch, the ‘cultural wing’ of the Maoists and a recruiting ground. She carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh.
The other three were platoon member Aaytu Punem, who carried a Rs 2 lakh reward, small action team commander Sukka Oyam and militia section commander Nuppo Moka. It’s the ‘small action team’ that carries out blitz-style murders in village markets and other public places to terrorise people. Sukka and Nuppo carried bounties of Rs 1 lakh each.
Security forces recovered two 9mm pistols, a 12-bore gun, two countrymade guns and wireless sets,

This was the second massive security operation in four days in Bastar division after two Maoists were shot dead near Bidiya village on the Bijapur-Dantewada border. Barely 25km, through jungle paths, separates the scenes of the two gunbattles.
A joint team of District Reserve Guards (DRG) from Basaguda camp, CRPF’s 229 Battalion, and 205 and 210 Battalions of CoBRA commandos marched out of Futkel camp to track down a large group of Maoists seen moving along the banks of Taliperu river, close to the Telangana border. The Maoists were from platoon 10 of PLGA, police said.
A fierce gunfight broke out between security personnel and Naxalites in the forests of Chikurbhatti and Pusbaka villages in Basaguda area, Bastar range IG P Sundarraj told TOI. With cadres getting riddled with bullets, the rest of Maoists fled deeper into the jungle.
While searching the area, security forces found the bodies of six Maoists. Part of the team returned with the bodies, while the rest went after the Maoists. The operation is on, said officers.
IG Sundarraj said, it’s possible many other Maoists were killed and injured in the gunfight, he said, adding that the forces recovered explosives, weapons and communication equipment from the spot. All the security personnel are safe, he said.

“Because of excellent collaboration between state and central forces, police have neutralized 32 Maoists this year and made 167 arrests. As many as 116 Maoists have surrendered,” he said.
Deputy chief minister Vijay Sharma, who also holds the home portfolio, said the operation was launched in the wake of the murder of three villagers on Holi, Monday, by suspected Maoists. Chandraiah Modiyami, Ashok Bhandari and Karam Ramesh were hacked and stabbed to death near Basaguda. Two of them died on the spot and the third died in hospital.
Forces face the challenge of countering the Maoists’ TCOC (tactical counter offensive campaign) while ensuring security for elections as Bastar votes in the first phase of Lok Sabha polls on April 19.
Sundarraj said that Maoists run TCOC during summer when they set up violence and recruitment. “We also prepare our counter-action plan with DRG and paramilitary forces,” he said.
“We intensify area domination and set up operations in affected regions. In the past three-four years, Maoists have not been able to create a major dent during TCOC. We will continue with this strategy so that peace is restored in Bastar,” the Bastar IG said.
On Saturday, two Maoists were killed in an encounter with forces of three districts in the forests bordering Dantewada and Bijapur. On the same day, two jawans of Bastar Fighters were injured in a Maoist IED blast in Dantewada district.