An encounter broke out between security forces and Naxalites in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday morning, police said. The gunfight took place in a forest near Kistaram police station, where security personnel were conducting an anti-Naxalite operation.
A joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the elite CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) launched the operation on Friday after receiving information about Maoist activity in the area. The exchange of gunfire was still ongoing, and further details were awaited, officials said.
22 Naxalites arrested, explosives seized in separate operations
In a major breakthrough, security forces arrested 22 Naxalites and recovered explosives in separate operations across Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, officials confirmed on Friday. Eighteen of the arrested Naxalites were caught from three locations in Bijapur district on Thursday, while four others were detained in Sukma two days earlier.
A senior police official said, "During an anti-Naxal operation, security personnel arrested 10 lower-level Maoist cadres from a forest near Gunjeparti village in Bijapur district." The operation was carried out by the local police and CoBRA battalions 201, 204, 205, 206, and 210. Several Maoist pamphlets and explosives were recovered from the scene.
In another operation, seven Naxalites were caught in a forest between Rajpenta and Sarkeguda villages in Bijapur by the 210 CoBRA battalion and local police. Security forces seized two tiffin bombs, cordex wire, a battery, and other items.
Additionally, another Naxalite was arrested near Chihka village in Bijapur district by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and local police. A tiffin bomb and cordex wire were found in his possession.
Meanwhile, four more Naxalites were taken into custody in Sukma district along with explosives. According to police, they were planning to attack security forces by planting explosives along patrol routes in the Chintalnar area.
A joint team of the CRPF's 74th battalion and district police arrested the four Maoist militia members from a forested hill near Ravguda village under Chintalnar police station limits. The arrested individuals, all residents of Morpalli village, were found with 15 gelatin rods, electronic and non-electronic detonators, 12 meters of cordex wire, Maoist pamphlets, a command switch, and other materials.
During questioning, they admitted to planning attacks on security forces by planting explosives on frequently patrolled routes, a police official said.
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Three Naxalites surrender, two had Rs 2 lakh bounty
In another development, three Naxalites, including two with a combined bounty of Rs 2 lakh, surrendered in Bijapur on Thursday.
The surrendered Naxalites were identified as Lakkhu Karam, also known as Gunda, Sukhram Awalam, and Narsu Boddu, also known as Neti.
Karam was the president of the Dandakaranya Adivasi Kisan Majdoor Sangathan (DAKMS), operating under the Pidiya Revolutionary Party Committee (RPC) of the CPI (Maoist). Awalam was the head of the Maoist Jantana Sarkar (people's government), while Neti served as the deputy commander of the Kamkanar RPC Platoon.
Both Karam and Awalam had a bounty of Rs 1 lakh each on their heads. Authorities welcomed their surrender and assured them of rehabilitation under the state’s surrender policy.
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