Chhattisgarh: 9 Maoists killed in ongoing anti-insurgency operation in Dantewada

Officials said that the anti-insurgency operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in Chattisgarh’s Dantewada

Published on: Sep 3, 2024, 13:53:49 IST

By Ritesh Mishra

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A joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and paramilitary Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) has killed nine Maoists in an ongoing anti-insurgency operation in Chattisgarh’s Left-wing insurgency hit Dantewada district on Tuesday, the state police said in a statement.

Police said further details will be shared after the operation is complete. (HT PHOTO/Representative)

“So far, nine Maoists have been killed and a large quantity of weapons, including self loading rifle ( SLR), 303 Rifle, 315 Bore Rifle, have been recovered from the spot. All the jawans involved in the operation are safe. The search operation is still underway, and further details will be shared after the operation is complete,” the statement said.

Officials said the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoists in the area. They added the exchange of fire started at 10:30 am on Tuesday.

Union home minister Amit Shah late last month chaired an inter-state coordination meeting of Left-wing insurgency hit states in Chhattisgarh amid heightened anti-Maoist operations.

As many as 147 Maoists were killed in 104 gunfights from December 2023 to August while 723 were arrested and 622 surrendered, according to the government data. The Union government has accelerated the opening of forward operating bases (FOBs) in the Maoists’ strongholds for coordinated intelligence-based operations as well as for assisting civic authorities to undertake development work to the remote villages.

Thirty three FOBs have been set up since December last year. They include four in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma, eight in Bijapur, two in Dantewada, four in Narayanpur, one each in Kanker and Rajnandgaon.

The government in August told the Parliament that the geographical spread of Maoist violence has reduced from 126 districts across 10 states in 2013 to 38 districts in 2024 across nine states. It said incidents of Maoist violence have reduced by 73% since 2010.

ABOUT THE AUTHOR
Ritesh Mishra
Ritesh Mishra is the State Correspondent for Chhattisgarh with Hindustan Times. He reports on Maoism, internal security, politics, mining, governance, and major developments shaping the state. Based in Raipur, he has covered Chhattisgarh since 2016, reporting extensively from the Bastar region and other conflict-affected areas. With nearly two decades of experience in journalism, Ritesh has built a reputation for ground reporting from some of India's most challenging terrains. His coverage spans Left-Wing Extremism, counter-insurgency operations, elections, tribal affairs, environmental issues, infrastructure, mining, and socio-economic developments. He has reported on major security operations, policy initiatives, wildlife crime, and the changing dynamics of conflict and development in Central India. Before moving to Chhattisgarh, Ritesh spent eight years reporting from Madhya Pradesh, covering politics, administration, crime, development, and social issues. Throughout his career, he has reported on various forms of extremism in Central India, combining field reporting with in-depth analysis to produce accurate, balanced, and impactful journalism. Prior to joining Hindustan Times, Ritesh worked with The Pioneer and The Free Press Journal, where he covered a wide range of beats and honed his skills in political, investigative, and field reporting. His reporting is marked by exclusive stories, extensive fieldwork, and a commitment to factual, on-the-ground journalism that brings complex issues to a wider audience.Read More

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