Four alleged members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed during a gun-battle with security forces in Kanker district of South Chhattisgarh on Monday, according to the Chhattisgarh police.
This was the second encounter by security forces in Chhattisgarh in last 48 hours. A police team gunned down three Maoists in Rajnandgoan district on Sunday and recovered their bodies and weapons. The forces, however, could recover the body of only one Maoist following Monday’s encounter.The deceased was identified as Jaising Kunjam, the area committee member of the CPI (Maoist) in Koyalibeda area.
D.M. Awasthi, Special Director General of Police, Anti-Naxal Operations unit, Chhattisgarh police, said, “There was an encounter between Maoists and teams of the Special Task Force and District Reserve Guard supported by the Border Security Force in Koyalibeda area of Kanker district on Monday. The body [of a Maoist] was recovered [from the scene of the encounter] along with one SLR [Self Loading Rifle].” Mr. Awasthi said, “He carried a reward of ₹5 lakh on his head. Three 315 bore weapons were also recovered from the encounter site. Probably, three more Maoists were neutralised in the encounter,”.
In a separate development, 13 Maoists were arrested in Sukma district of South Chhattisgarh on Monday. A press statement issued by Sukma district police said, “Thirteen Maoists were arrested. Eleven were arrested from Jagargunda area and one each from Gadiras and Tongpal area of the district.” The police claimed that all 11 arrested from Jagargunda were involved in ambushing and killing 25 CRPF troopers in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station limits on April 24 this year. A joint team of District Reserve Guard and district force made the arrests.
Of them, Hemla Aaytu (20) is an active member of the local organisation squad and Tami Budhru (40) is a Janmilitia deputy commander. The nine others are members of Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisaan Mazdoor Sangthan, a frontal wing of Maoists. They were also allegedly involved in triggering IED blasts and attacking police personnel. The Maoists arrested from Gadiras and Tongpal areas were identified as Madkami Hunga (30) and Madkami Mannu (35). Hunga is accused of looting polling material during the 2015 panchayat elections and Mannu is wanted in a case of murder.
All of them were produced before a local court which remanded in judicial custody. Security forces have been continuously undertaking search operations in Chintalnar, Chintagufa and Jagargunda areas of the district, around 400 km away from Raipur following the Burkapal incident.
