Two Maoists including a woman Maoist commander of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed in a joint operation of Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra police on the border of the two states on Monday.
“Bijapur district additional superintendent of police, Mr. Kalyan Elesela has conveyed over his satellite phone from deep forest of Sendra on Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border that a Local Operating Squad (LOS) commander of the Maoists has been killed and her body has been recovered by the forces along with an INSAS rifle and five magazines. One more dead body of a uniformed Maoist was recovered when the forces were returning to the base camps in Maharashtra,” Bastar range Inspector General (IG) of Police, Mr. SRP Kalluri said in a statement.
“The anti-Maoist operation was jointly planned by Bijapur SP and his Gadchiroli counterpart keeping in view the TCOC (Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign) of the Maoists. Mr.Elesela led Chhattisgarh police team whereas from Maharashtra side, the force was led by ASP Manjunath Singh.
The operation was launched about three days ago.The strategy was to enter Bijapur National park area of Maoists from Maharashtra side. Our forces led by Kalyan first went to Maharashtra side surreptitiously and then penetrated Bijapur jointly with Maharashtra forces which the Maoists could not anticipate,” informed the IG. One the dead Maoists has been identified as Mangi, the LOS commander of national park area committee of Maoists in West Bastar and she carried a reward of Rs.5 lakhs on her head. Mr.Kalluri admitted that Bastar Police recovered an INSAS service rifle after a long gap.
"Forces are still deep inside the forest and fighting their way back to Gadchiroli. Preparations are on to airlift the forces, the dead bodies of Maoists and other Maoist recoveries," added Mr. Kalluri.
