Chhattisgarh: 2 more Maoists killed in Bijapur as search operations continue

Two more Maoists were gunned down on Sunday in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, a day after four others were killed in the same encounter with security forces, police said

Raipur: Two more Maoists were gunned down on Sunday in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, a day after four others were killed in the same encounter with security forces, police said. Search operations are continuing in the region.

The latest exchange of fire occurred on Sunday morning in the forested hills of the district’s north-western region. (Representative photo)

The latest exchange of fire occurred on Sunday morning in the forested hills of the district’s north-western region, where a joint team of security forces has been conducting an anti-Maoist operation, Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Yadav said.

Four Maoists, including senior cadre Dilip Bedja, were killed during the operation on Saturday. The deceased were identified as divisional committee member Bedja, area committee members Madvi Kosa and Lakkhi Madkam, and party member Radha Metta. “All were active members of the Maoists’ National Park Area Committee,” the SP said.

The identity of the two Maoists killed on Sunday is yet to be established, he added.

Personnel from the Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the Chhattisgarh Police, along with the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA)—an elite unit of the Central Reserve Police Force—were involved in the operation. The operation was launched on Saturday following specific intelligence inputs about the presence of Vedja and other armed Maoist cadres in the area.

Police said six weapons, including an AK-47 rifle, an INSAS rifle, a carbine, and a .303 rifle, were recovered from the encounter sites.

With the latest action, at least 20 Maoists have been killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. On January 3, 14 Maoists were killed in two encounters in the Bastar region, which includes Bijapur.

Last year, a total of 285 Maoists were killed in encounters with security forces in the state. The Centre has set March 31 as the deadline to eradicate Left-Wing Extremism.