Top Maoist sniper killed in Bijapur during anti-naxal operation: Police

The encounter took place on Saturday in the dense forests of the Indravati National Park in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, a well-known Maoist stronghold

Raipur: A top Maoist cadre, identified as Sodhi Kanna, deputy commander and sniper in the outlawed CPI (Maoist)’s armed unit—People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, in an encounter with security forces on Saturday.

The Maoist sniper’s body was recovered following a fierce gunbattle. (Representational image)

The Chhattisgarh police on Monday said the encounter took place on Saturday in the dense forests of the Indravati National Park in Bijapur district, a well-known Maoist stronghold, where a joint team of security personnel had launched a large-scale operation on July 4.

Sodhi Kanna’s body was recovered following a fierce gunbattle with the Maoists.

Bijapur superintendent of police (SP) Jitender Kumar Yadav described the operation as a major success in the fight against Left Wing Extremism.

“Sodhi Kanna was the deputy commander of the second company of the PLGA’s first battalion, headed by the notorious Maoist leader Madvi Hidma, currently the only active central committee member (CCM) of the CPI (Maoist) in the region,” Yadav said.

Kanna, who also functioned as a trained sniper, had a reward of ₹8 lakh announced on his head by the Chhattisgarh government. He was known to be an expert marksman and played a key role in several major Maoist attacks and was close to Madvi Hidma.

He was operating extensively in the Tekalgudiyam area and had also participated in an attack on the Dharmaram security camp.

The encounter involved a joint operation comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG) units of Bijapur and Dantewada, the Special Task Force (STF), CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), and the Young Platoon of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).

“The operation was launched on the basis of specific intelligence inputs indicating the presence of armed Maoist cadres, including members of the Telangana State Committee, the National Park Area Committee, and PLGA Battalion No. 1 in the region,” SP Yadav said.

Kanna’s killing, he added, has dealt a significant blow to the Maoist outfit, particularly in terms of its sniper capabilities. “His elimination is a severe setback for the Maoists. He was a highly skilled sniper and a trusted operative in Hidma’s battalion,” Yadav noted.

Bastar Range inspector general of police, Sundarraj P, lauded the relentless efforts of the security personnel. “Despite the challenges posed by the monsoon—heavy rains, treacherous forest terrain, and slippery mountain paths—our forces have continued their operations deep within Maoist territory. This success reflects the commitment, courage, and unwavering vigilance of our troops,” IG said.

He added that all security wings—DRG, STF, CoBRA, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CAF, and Bastar Fighters—have been working in close coordination to maintain pressure on Maoist formations in the interior forest regions.

With this latest success, the total number of suspected Maoist cadres neutralised in Chhattisgarh has now reached 415 in the past 18 months, as security forces continue their most aggressive and sustained offensive against Maoist insurgency in recent years.