RAIPUR: The day after ten
Naxalites
, who carried cash rewards totalling over Rs 60 lakh, were killed in a fierce 16-hour-long
encounter
in Chhattisgarh, Bastar Inspector General of Police P Sundarraj stated that the anti-Naxal forces have shattered the long-held myth of
Marh
being an impregnable sanctuary for Naxalites.
Those killed included one Special Zonal Committee member (SZCM), two Divisional Committee members (DVCM), and two Area Committee members (ACM) who were mainly active in
Abujmarh
and the Gadchiroli division.
An excavator machine recovered from the spot indicates that the Naxalites were planning to build bunkers to store arms, ammunition, ration, and explosives, officials said.
The most significant cadre was SZCM Joganna, who carried a Rs 25 lakh cash bounty and had 196 criminal cases registered in police records. Others included Mallesh Madkam, DVCM of company number 10, who had 43 cases lodged against him and carried Rs eight lakh bounty, DVCM Vinay had eight cases lodged against him in Gadchiroli with an Rs eight lakh cash reward. Besides, Sangita Doge Atram, the wife of Joganna and ACM dalam doctor, was carrying Rs 5 lakh, and Suresh carried Rs 8 lakh. The remaining five cadres carried a Rs 9 lakh reward, police said.
From the appearance of the spot in videos and photographs, it seems that the Naxalites were caught off-guard as they were asleep in the early hours when the
security forces
struck their camp. Mosquito nets were still tied after the encounter in the pictures, and the tent (
Maoist
camp) remained intact, with drum loads of ration and bags full of medicines, indicating that the location was a safe hideout for Naxal commanders.
“Under the ‘Save Marh campaign,’ this meticulously planned operation, Kakur-Tekemeta, was launched on the night of April 29 with a combined force of 900 jawans from the District Reserve Guards, Bastar Fighters, and Special Task Force, covering a staggering distance of 60 km on foot,” Bastar top cop Sundarraj said while addressing reporters in the Narayanpur district headquarters.
“Security forces have not only dispelled notions of Marh being a haven for Maoists but also given a severe blow to the top leadership of Naxalites. Contrary to the belief that Naxalites could operate with impunity in Marh, security forces undertook an exhaustive search spanning the entire region. This relentless pursuit led them to the centre of Naxal activity, where they rounded up key leaders, sending shockwaves through the Maoist ranks,” Narayanpur SP PRabhat Kumar said.
The jawans started from Sonpur camp in Narayanpur and Chhotebethia in Kanker, and upon reaching the forests of Tekmeta around 3:50 am, they rounded up Naxalites and called for them to surrender. However, the Naxalites did not heed the call and opened fire. Security personnel took positions and retaliated.
The operation witnessed an intense exchange of fire between 3:50 am to 8 pm on April 30. Among those killed were Maoist commanders from Maharashtra, Telangana, and Bastar, the IG said, adding that there were zero casualties among the jawans.
While the bodies of ten Naxalites, including three women, were brought to base, the weapons recovered included one AK-47 with one magazine and 26 live rounds, a 5.56 INSAS rifle, two .303 rifles, one .315 rifle, one 12-bore rifle with seven live rounds, three muzzle-loading rifles, and one barrel grenade launcher with four live grenade shells.
During the course of the operation, significant material dumps were discovered at Naxalite hideouts, containing a cache of explosive materials, IEDs, pressure cookers, codex wires, computers, printers, satellite communication devices, an excavating machine, daily use goods, Naxal literature, solar plates, and utensils, officials said.
In the nearby areas of Tekemeta and Kakur, DRG Narayanpur, Kanker, and BSF teams are continuously conducting area domination to secure the area, they added.
“This operation has instilled a sense of fear among the upper tier of Naxal leadership as the security forces draw close to their strongholds, and distrust among Naxal ranks is at an all-time high, as senior members grow suspicious of their juniors and local sympathizers. The “Marh Bachao” campaign aims to liberate Marh and its inhabitants from the clutches of Naxal ideologies. An earnest appeal is extended to those attracted by the allure of Maoist doctrines to renounce violence and embrace mainstream society,” a police statement said.
Moreover, this operation has also thwarted Maoists’ plans for expansion into neighbouring territories, including Maharashtra.
