Chhattisgarh: Senior Maoist chief amongst 3 killed in Dantewada encounter
A member of the particular zonal committee of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a reward of ₹25 lakh on his head, was amongst three Maoists killed in an encounter with safety forces in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada district on Tuesday, police mentioned.
Police mentioned that member of the Dandakaranya Particular Zonal Committee (DKSZC) Sudhir alias Sudhakar alias Murali, who was energetic in Abujhmad area, was killed within the encounter.
The encounter happened at 8am within the forest space between villages Girsapara, Ikeli, Nelgoda, and Bodga, situated on the border of Dantewada and Bijapur.
Inspector Basic of Police, Bastar vary, Sunderaj P mentioned that the personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters, each models of the state police, have been concerned within the operation.
“After the trade of fireside stopped, our bodies of three male Maoists have been recovered from the positioning. We’ve additionally recovered one INSAS rifle, one .303 rifle, one 12-bore rifle, together with a big amount of explosive supplies, Maoist literature, and different important objects from the encounter spot,” mentioned the IG.
The our bodies have been later recognized as Sudhakar, Mannu Barsa and Pandru Atra.
Sudhakar alias Sonasai alias Murali (Ankesarapu Sarayya) was a resident of Warangal district of Telangana and a member of SZC. He entered the Dandakaranya area in 1999 and was actively concerned within the Maad area and Gadchiroli underneath the identify Murali from 2003. He labored with Naxal commander Prabhakar from 2012 and have become a member of SZC (Particular Zonal Committee) in 2014-15.
The opposite two–Mannu Barsa and Atra (each residents of Bijapur) have been within the safety of SZC, police mentioned.
Union residence minister Amit Shah just lately mentioned the Narendra Modi authorities is shifting ahead with a ruthless method towards Naxalites and is adopting a zero-tolerance coverage towards these Maoists who haven’t surrendered regardless of services being supplied to them.
He mentioned the nation can be Naxal-free by March 31, 2026.
Thus far in 2025, safety forces have recovered the our bodies of 100 Maoists in varied encounters throughout the Bastar area, police claimed.
Over two dozen Maoists and a policeman have been killed in twin gunbattles in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur and Kanker districts on Thursday final. There have been a collection of anti-Maoist operations in Chhattisgarh as a part of the Union authorities’s goal to finish Left-wing insurgency by March 31, 2026. In 2024, 219 Maoists have been killed in Chhattisgarh, in comparison with 22 in 2023 and 30 in 2022.
Officers final week mentioned 113 Maoists have been killed this yr and 104 have been arrested throughout the nation. One other 164 have surrendered, in keeping with the Union residence ministry.
Bastar, Dantewada, Bijapur, Kanker, Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Sukma in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar division are referred to as the epicentre of Maoist insurgency. Hundreds of forces have been deployed there for the anti-Maoist operations in what is named the “Purple Hall” to push again rebels, take over their hideouts in forests and cripple their fortifications.
A broader authorities technique towards the Maoists consists of the development of roads and developmental tasks in Left-wing insurgency-hit areas. Prime Minister Narendra Modi was scheduled to go to Chhattisgarh on March 30 to launch infrastructure tasks and meet Maoist violence-hit individuals.
Safety forces have created 17 new camps in beforehand core Maoist-controlled areas together with a 4,000 sq. kilometre forested space straddling Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra—Abhujmad, which stays unmapped.
Tough terrain, lack of infrastructure, and Maoist fortification have pissed off makes an attempt to survey the area since 2017. Bastar is known as the final Maoist bastion due to an administrative vacuum. High Maoists together with the politburo and the central committee members are believed to be holed.
