Mumbai: In an operation on Friday morning, a team of 300 C60 commandos along with CRPF officials neutralised at least four Maoists near Maharashtra Chhattisgarh border following an indiscriminate firing by the Maoists.
The police has also seized one automatic Self Loading Rifle, two .303 rifles, a Bharmar rifle and walkie talkies from the spot. The Maharashtra government had jointly announced a total reward of Rs 14 lakh on them.
According to the Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, reliable information was received that some Maoists had gathered and were setting up an ambush with the intention of carrying out destructive activities and causing casualties within the limits of Kawande police station near Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.
A police team comprising C60 commandos and CRPF officials were immediately dispatched on Thursday afternoon from Kawande and Nelgunda to carry out an anti-Maoist operation in the area on the banks of the Indravati river.
"On Friday morning, the police team were conducting a search operation by cordoning off the forest area when the Maoists, who were hiding in the forest, started indiscriminate firing towards the police with the intention of killing the jawans and stealing their weapons. The police appealed to the Maoists to put down their weapons and surrender, but the Maoists did not surrender and attacked the police even more vigorously. At that time, the police fired towards the Maoists in retaliation and for self-defense. Seeing the increasing pressure from the police, the Maoists took advantage of the dense forest and fled from the scene," said a police officer.
He added, "After an encounter that lasted for about two hours, when the jawans conducted a search operation in the said forest area, bodies of a total of four Maoists, identified as Gadchiroli residents Sannu Pungati (35), Ashok alias Suresh Wadde (38), Karuna alias Mamta alias Tuni Paandu (21) and Chhattisgarh resident Vinjyo alias Vijyo Hoyami (25) were found at the scene. Various cases of encounter, arson and murder etc. have been registered against the said deceased Maoists. Along with this, the Gadchiroli Police Force has succeeded in seizing a total of four firearms, walkie-talkies, Maoist materials and other daily use materials from the said incident site."
The Gadchiroli Police in the last four years since 2021, had managed to eliminate 87 hardcore Maoists, 124 Maoists have been arrested and 63 Maoists have surrendered.
