Bijapur encounter: 5 Maoist bodies identified; tributes paid to 2 slain jawans

Thirty-one uniformed Maoists, including 11 women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Sunday

The Chhattisgarh police have identified five of the 31 Maoists killed in Sunday’s Bijapur encounter and it include a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) of the banned CPI (Maoist), a senior officer said on Monday.

The wife of head constable Naresh Dhruv, who was killed in the Bijapur Naxal encounter on Sunday, breaks down while paying tribute to her husband, during a wreath-laying ceremony in Chhattisgarh’s capital Raipur, on Monday. (PTI)

Addressing a press conference in Bijapur, the inspector general of police, Bastar range, Sunderaj P said that the five identified Maoists are Hunga Karma, DVCM of West Bastar Division of CPI (Maoist) who was carrying an award of ₹8 lakh on his head, Mangu Hemla, who was commander in Platoon Number 11 ( ₹5 lakh reward), Subhash Oyam, member of Indrawati National Park Area Committee (5 lakh reward), Sannu, member of Gangalur Area Committee (5 lakh reward) and Ramesh, party member, National Park Area, (2 lakh reward).

The bodies of the 26 other slain Maoists are yet to be identified, he added.

Bijapur superintendent of police, Jitendra Kumar Yadav, said that the search operation was launched based on intelligence regarding the presence of Maoists.

“We had information that senior Maoist leader Bandi Prakash, Bhaskar and other senior Maoists were present. Total 31 uniformed Maoists, including 11 women were killed in the encounter. Bloodstains and drag marks at the site suggest that several other Maoists were either killed or injured. A significant amount of weapons, explosives, and Maoist materials were seized,” the SP said.

Weapons which were recovered from the encounter site include one AK-47 rifle, one SLR rifle, one INSAS rifle, one. 303 rifle, one .315 bore rifle , one BGL Rocket Launcher (large) with stand, six BGL launchers, Laser printers. Police have also seized large quantities of explosives, Maoist uniforms, Maoist literature, medicines, and daily-use items.

The SP appealed to all Maoists to abandon violence and join the mainstream society and warned that otherwise they must be prepared to face the consequences.

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh director general of police (DGP) Arun Dev Gautam paid homage to the two jawans killed in the encounter-- District Reserve Guard (DRG) head constable Naresh Dhruv (resident of Bhatapara/Balodabazar district) and Special Task Force (STF) constable Wasit Rawate (resident of Balod district)-- during a wreath-laying ceremony at New Police Lines on Monday and said that their sacrifice will inspire other security personnel in eliminating Maoism.

Talking to reporters, the DGP said, “Our jawans bravely executed the operation, in which 31 Naxalites were neutralised. The Indravati National Park is a difficult area (in terms of terrain and dense forest), and our jawans entered the place and bravely carried out the operation.”

Senior officials from the police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and representatives of the ruling and Opposition political parties also paid tribute to the deceased personnel.

Sunday’s gunfight, one of the biggest in Chhattisgarh, occurred on a forested hill along the border of Madded and Farsegarh police station areas of Bijapur.

With this incident, 81 Naxalites have been gunned down by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year.

Of these 81 rebels, 65 were killed in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur.

Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh, according to police.