Nine states share intel on controlling Maoist-related problems

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...with-material-for-maoists/article18520537.ece

Police arrest them in Charla mandal on Chhattisgarh border
Two alleged Maoist couriers were arrested and medicines, electronic gadgets, including mobile phones, besides materials used in the manufacture of weapons were seized from them in Charla mandal in the district, the police said.

The arrests were made by the Charla police on Saturday evening during a search operation at the remote Kaliveru village in Charla mandal of Bhadrachalam division, which shares a long border with the restive Bastar region of Chhattisgarh.

The arrested were identified as P. Girinarayana, 30, a Bhadrachalam-based trader who sells Ayurvedic medicines, and R. Venkateshwarlu, 26, a private employee of Burgampadu mandal, police sources said.

Second arrest

The arrests comes less than a week after the Charla police arrested three persons, including two employees of a beedi factory, while allegedly carrying a consignment of cash to the ultras based in adjoining Chhattisgarh. Earlier this month, a joint squad of Charla police and CRPF jawans arrested two alleged Maoist militia members on charges of carrying medicines for Maoist cadre of the neighbouring State.

Medicines

Producing the arrested duo — Girinarayana and Venkateshwarlu — before the media in Kothagudem on Sunday, Superintendent of Police of Bhadradri-Kothagudem district Ambar Kishor Jha said the duo were apprehended while on their way to deliver a consignment of medicines, electronic gadgets, electric detonators and other material to Maoists based in Chhattisgarh.

They were acting on the directions of some Maoist leaders in Chhattisgarh who gave them ₹2 lakh cash for purchase of medicines, iron pipes and other material, he said, adding that tablets, injections, ORS packets, two tabs, three mobile phones and electric detonators and iron pipes, were seized from them.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.deccanherald.com/content/613273/crpf-suspends-patrol-commander.html

The CRPF has suspended its commander who led the team which came under attack by Maoists in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma on April 24, leaving 25 personnel dead.

While the company commander, Assistant Commandant J Vishwanath, has been suspended for alleged “failure of leadership”, the commanding officer of the 74th Battalion, Commandant Firoze Kuzur, has been shifted out of Chhattisgarh.

The 25 slain men belonged to the Delta company of the 74th Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and were deployed in the Maoist hotbed between Burkapal and Chintagufa in Sukma district, one of the worst-hit by ultra-Left violence.

Seeking to set its house in order after 37 troopers were killed in two recent Maoist ambush in Sukma, the force has also transferred at least half-a-dozen commandants and a Deputy Inspector General (DIG) posted in the Bastar region, and has replaced them with some of some of its best officers serving in other parts of the country.

Top CRPF officers said the suspension of the assistant commandant was ordered following receipt of a preliminary report about shortcomings that might have led to the massacre.
Some others, however, described the transfers are routine.

Sources indicated disciplinary action could be taken against some more officers on the directions of the Union home ministry, to whom the CRPF recently submitted a report on the ambush.

They said newly appointed CRPF Director General R R Bhatnagar has cracked the whip and asked for a complete overhaul of the battalions deployed for counter-insurgency and anti-Maoist operations in the inhospitable terrain of Bastar.

They said the AC was commanding the 99 personnel-strong team on the fateful day of April 24, and the flank that came under attack was led by Inspector Raghubir Singh, who was killed in the ambush.

Around noon, a group of personnel having lunch came under heavy fire near Burkapal in which 25 men were killed and 22 sophisticated firearms, including 13 AK series assault rifles, 5 Insas rifles, 3,420 cartridges, 22 bulletproof jackets and other equipment were looted.

 

[Hindustani78]

The Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu reviewing the programme implementation and initiatives of M/o I&B, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh, at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on May 26, 2017.

The Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu reviewing the programme implementation and initiatives of M/o I&B, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh, at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on May 26, 2017.

The Union Minister for Urban Development, Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation and Information & Broadcasting, Shri M. Venkaiah Naidu reviewing the implementation of flagship schemes of M/o Urban Development and Housing & Urban Poverty Alleviation, in the presence of the Chief Minister of Chhattisgarh, Dr. Raman Singh, at Raipur, Chhattisgarh on May 26, 2017.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/maoists-blow-up-rail-track/article18619851.ece
Giridih, May 29, 2017 22:57 IST
Updated: May 29, 2017 22:57 IST

Movement of several trains via Jharkhand affected

Maoists began their day-long bandh in Jharkhand on Monday by blowing up a railway track on the Howrah-New Delhi Grand Chord section, disrupting movement of several trains, including the Rajdhani Express.

Superintendent of Police (Railway), Dhanbad, Asim Vikrant Minz, said the track was blown up between Chichaki and Karmabad stations under the Dhanbad Railway Division around 12.40 a.m.

Several long-distance trains, including Kalka Mail, three Rajdhani Express trains, Hatia-Patna Express, Howrah-Dehradun Express were stranded, railway sources said. Many goods trains were also regulated at different places. Senior Divisional Commercial Manager (Dhanbad), A.K. Jha, said services on the route were restored after 7.40 a.m.

Vehicle torched

Railway officials and Railway Protection Force personnel from Hazaribagh rushed to the spot after the explosion.

In another incident, Maoists torched a vehicle at Dhawatand on Dumri road during the bandh, Giridih Superintendent of Police Akhilesh B. Beriar said.

They also set ablaze an earth moving machine of a contractor engaged in constructing a bridge over the Barakar river on the Dumri-Birni border in the district, sub-divisional police officer, Deepak Sharma, said.

A Lohardaga report said the bandh had evoked partial response as most of the shops and markets were open but long-distance buses did not ply.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/telangana/two-naxals-surrender/article18620583.ece

Two members of CPI (Maoist) Charla Local Organising Squad (LOS) surrendered before Bhadrachalam Assistant Superintendent of Police Sunil Dutt in the mandal headquarters town of Charla on Monday evening.

The police identified the surrendered duo as Irpa Laxman Rao alias Bharath, 28, of Pusuguppa, and S Murali, 35, of Vuyyalamadugu of Charla mandal.

Laxman worked as a courier for Maoists from 2008 to 2013 before being appointed as a dalam member the same year, police sources said. Murali surrendered following the death of his wife due to ill health recently.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://indianexpress.com/article/india/naxals-set-ablaze-bus-in-chhattisgarhs-narayanpur-4680579/
By: PTI | Raipur | Published:May 30, 2017 12:23 pm

A combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the attackers in Chhattisgarh. (File)


Naxals torched a bus after asking passengers to alight in Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district, police said today.

When the private bus was on its way to Orchha from Narayanpur, a group of Naxals, some of them armed, stopped the vehicle last night near Jhorigaon village, located about 300 kms from the state capital, Superintendent of Police, Santosh Singh told PTI.

The rebels asked the passengers to de-board and then set the bus ablaze, he said. The exact number of passengers is not known but all of them are reported safe, the SP said. Security personnel rushed to the spot soon after receiving an alert. A combing operation has been launched in the region to nab the attackers, he said.

According to Singh, the Naxals are frustrated with the road construction work in the region, and therefore are committing such acts.

“The ultras have been opposing road construction from Narayanpur to Orchha in Abujhmaad – considered as a Maoist den,” Singh said.

“Despite their disruption, construction has been completed in around 45-km patch of the total 66 kms, under security cover of the Indo Tibetan Border Police (ITBP) and district force,” he said.

The construction of the remaining portion is underway, the SP said.

 

[Hindustani78]

Police and RAF personnel guarding the site where about 100 hundred crude bombswere recovered in two drums, buried under sand bed in Sal river at Palsara under Dubrajpur PS in Birbhum district of West Bengal.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...er-killed-in-chhattisgarh/article18719518.ece
June 05, 2017 00:34 IST
Updated: June 05, 2017 00:34 IST

NAGPUR: The Chhattisgarh police claimed to have gunned down a Maoist during an encounter in Bijapur district in south Chhattisgarh on Sunday.

“A police team led by police inspector Lakshman Kewat of Bhairamgarh (police station) set out at around 4 a.m. today based on some local inputs that a group of 10 to 15 Maoists is camping near the hills and forest around Surakheda village. At around 8.30 a.m., an exchange of fire took place near Surakheda village when the Maoists were crossing the area,” Mr.P. Sundar Raj the Deputy Inspector General of Police (DIG) of Dantewada range said in a statement.


After the firing stopped, the body of one uniformed Maoist was recovered along with guns, a tiffin bomb, wires and detonators. The deceased was identified as Maoist leader Ratan Majji alias Hemla Ratan.

************
http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ist-ambush-near-kandhamal/article18721675.ece


BERHAMPUR, June 05, 2017 08:26 IST
Updated: June 05, 2017 08:26 IST

A jawan of Special Operation Group (SOG) was killed and six others were injured in a Maoist ambush near Khamankhol under Baliguda police station limits in Kandhamal district of Odisha at around midnight on Saturday.

According to Inspector General of Police (IGP), southern range, Amitabh Thakur, an exchange of fire for around one hour occurred at the spot between the SOG personnel and naxalites after this ambush. Security personnel fired more than 300 rounds and also lobbed grenades at the ultras.

“There are chances of casualties on the side of Maoists. So, reinforcement has been mobilized to the area to intensify search operation,” said Mr Thakur.


This group of SOG personnel were returning in four vehicles after completion of an anti-Maoist operation based on intelligence reports. The last vehicle in the motorcade was targeted at the jungle ghat road near Khamankhol. The hiding Maoists fired heavily at this vehicle carrying SOG jawans. It was valiantly retaliated by the SOG jawans.

During this exchange of fire, a SOG jawan named Laxmikant Jani from Kalahandi district was killed. Six others including driver of the targeted vehicle sustained injuries. They were first provided primary medical treatment at Baliguda hospital. Later, three of them were shifted to Kandhamal District Headquarter Hospital in Phulbani and other three seriously injured were transported to MKCG medical college and hospital in Berhampur.

 

[Hindustani78]

Material recovered after the encounter.
http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/maoists-killed-in-encounter/article18733091.ece

STF team claims Maoists were shot at during search operation
The Chhattisgarh police said on Tuesday that Maoists had been killed in an encounter in Sukma district of south Chhattisgarh.

P. Sundar Raj, Deputy Inspector General of Police (Dantewada range), said, “We received a tip-off that a group of 15 to 20 Maoists were present in the forest near Jongeras village under Kukaknar police station [of Sukma]. We sent a Special Task Force team led by Inspector Salim Xaxa and they conducted a search operation on June 4. There were Maoist casualties in the exchange of fire last night.”

The STF team recovered seven backpacks, four black uniforms, three detonators and some IED-making material from the area. The STF team, could not recover any bodies or capture any injured Maoists.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://zeenews.india.com/india/mha-naxal-recruits-2013219.html

New Delhi: As many as 743 candidates, including 242 women, have been recruited by the CRPF from the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, one of the worst Naxal-hit areas, for an 'all-tribal battalion' being raised to fight Maoists.

The youths have been recruited for the post of constable in the CRPF from tribal-dominated Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts and will join the 'Bastariya' battalion.

"743 scheduled tribes candidates, including 242 women, have been recruited," a Home Ministry official said.


Bastar region comprises Sukma, Dantewada, Narayanpur and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh.

The 'Bastariya' battalion in CRPF is a unique initiative to enhance local representation in security forces and also provide employment to youths, the official said.

2016 witnessed maximum Naxal violence in Jharkhand and Chhattisgarh -- 68.5 per cent of the total incidents and 69 per cent of the deaths.

Situation in Bastar region is considered to be critical due to unabated violence perpetrated by the Maoists.

While giving its approval for raising the Bastariya battalion, the Cabinet Committee on Security, headed by Prime Minister Narendra Modi, had made it clear that all recruits would have to be from Bastar region.

The concept of 'Bastariya' battalion was considered useful as the recruits, mostly local tribals, would help address local unemployment issue, provide tactical advantage to CRPF in operations, intelligence collection and language benefits.

Tribal candidates joining the force are also given a 4.5 cm relaxation in minimum height, which is 160 cm for others.

Besides, a 10 per cent relaxation in weight, which has to be proportionate to height and age, is given to them.

Once the training of the recruits in the 'Bastariya' battalion is completed, they will be deployed in Chhattisgarh for at least five years.

The Central reserved Paramilitary Force, which played a pivotal role in curbing militancy in Punjab during 1980s and in Tripura during 1990s, works under the Ministry of Home Affairs.

More than one-third of the CRPF is deployed in Naxal- affected regions to control left-wing extremism.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/other-states/34-maoists-held-in-sukma/article18961961.ece

Most of the arrested are residents of Burkapal village
NAGPUR: The Chhattisgarh police on Sunday claimed to have arrested 34 Maoists from Sukma district of Chhattisgarh.

“The district police and the DRG [District Reserve Guard] arrested 31 Maoists from Chintagufa police station limits, and the Special Task Force and the DRG have arrested three Maoists from Fulbagadi area [of Sukma] today. The arrested people include the Janatana Sarkar presidents [of CPI (Maoist)], Jan Militia commanders, DKMS presidents and members, CNM [Chetna Natya Manch] commanders and deputy Commanders,” said a press note issued by the Sukma district police.

The police said all the arrested people were active as members of the outlawed CPI (Maoist). “They were involved in the execution of many violent incidents by the Maoists, including the recent Burkapal attack. All of them were produced before a court today,” the statement added.

The Maoist attack near Burkapal village of Sukma in April this year had resulted in the death of 25 CRPF men. Most of the alleged Maoists arrested on Sunday are the residents of Burkapal.

The CRPF men had said there was firing from inside the village during the attack on April 24. Villagers had denied any role in the attack, saying that they had all had gone out of the village to celebrate Bija Pondum.

http://indianexpress.com/article/in...ultras-in-jharkhands-khunti-district-4700722/

By: PTI | Khunti (jharkhand) | Published:June 12, 2017 8:18 pm
Security personnel on Monday seized a huge quantity of explosives and arrested two ultras belonging to the People’s Liberation Front of India (PLFI) from naxal-affected Khunti district of Jharkhand, a senior police officer said. The seizure was made during a joint operation launched by the District Armed Police and CRPF in Gitilbeda village, Superintendent of Police, Ashwini Kumar Sinha said.

The SP said that security personnel found explosives kept hidden and seized 20 kg of claymore bomb, 15 kg of liquid explosive in eight packets, 25 gelatine sticks and a grenade. Sinha said search operation in the area was ongoing.

In an another incident, he said two PLFI ultras were apprehended from Kolamba village under Murhu police station limit. The arrested ultras have been identified as Chunu Munda, a resident of Lukubera and Jeevan Pahan alias Bicha, a resident of Mahuatoli of Khunti, the SP added.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ts-killed-in-chhattisgarh/article19099843.ece


June 18, 2017 23:20 IST
Updated: June 18, 2017 23:20 IST
Two more surrender in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district
NAGPUR: The Chhattisgarh police on Sunday claimed to have gunned down three “dreaded Maoists” in Rajnandgaon district.

“Three dreaded Maoists have been killed by the district police force in Pendaudi hills of Aundhi area of Rajnandgaon district today. The police team was led by Police Sub Inspector Ashwini Rathore of Aundhi police station,” Rajnandgaon District Superintendent of Police Prashant Agrawal said in a statement.

The police team had left for Pendaudi hills at 11 a.m. on Sunday after receiving inputs about the presence of Maoist leader Sameela Potai and Maoists of Aundhi Local Operating Squad in the area.

A press note issued by Chhattisgarh police said, “At around 2.30 p.m., the Maoists opened indiscriminate fire on the police team near Pendaudi Hills. The police team retaliated the fire. The Maoists ran towards Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra as the police team was getting dominant in the firing. The searching of the spot of the encounter resulted in the recovery of three dead bodies in Maoist uniform.”

The police team recovered one SLR, one INSAS and one 303 rifle and some ammunition from the spot of the encounter.

Mr. Agrawal said two more Maoists were hit during Sunday’s encounter. The dead Maoists included Potai, who was active in South Rajnandgaon area since 2007. “She had 40 cases registered against her,” Mr. Agrawal said.

In a separate development, two woman Maoists surrendered to the police in Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra on Sunday.

“We had arrested senior Maoist leader Pawan Velda recently. They were working with him and surrendered to the police on Sunday. Both were working with the Maoist groups active in Chhattisgarh. One of them is a young girl,” the Gadchiroli district police said in a press statement.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...-arrested-in-chhattisgarh/article19105472.ece

NAGPUR, June 20, 2017 00:00 IST
Updated: June 20, 2017 00:00 IST

11 held from Jagargunda were involved in killing 25 CRPF men on April 24: police
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.

 

[Hindustani78]

People of S. Mollen village participating at the public rally, during the Special Outreach Programme on flagship programmes of the Central Government with focus on Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, PMJDY, organised by the Directorate of Field Publicity, Kohima, at S. Mollen Village, in Churachandpur District, Manipur on June 21, 2017.

The chief guest and Member, Churachandpur Autonomous District Council, Ms. Grace Zamnu addressing the gathering, during the special outreach programme on Flagship programmes of the Central Government with focus on Swachh Bharat, Beti Bachao Beti Padhao, PMJDY, etc. organised by the Directorate of Field Publicity, Kohima, at S. Mollen Village, in Churachandpur District, Manipur on June 21, 2017. The Regional Director, DFP, Shri Mangjangam Touthang among others are also seen.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju performing Yoga, on the occasion of the 3rd International Day of Yoga – 2017, in Gangtok, Sikkim on June 21, 2017.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju performing Yoga, on the occasion of the 3rd International Day of Yoga – 2017, in Gangtok, Sikkim on June 21, 2017.

The Minister of State for Home Affairs, Shri Kiren Rijiju performing Yoga, on the occasion of the 3rd International Day of Yoga – 2017, in Gangtok, Sikkim on June 21, 2017.

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...gress-leader-in-dantewada/article19109788.ece

Did not listen to repeated warnings’
Maoists killed a Congress party leader in the Dantewada district of south Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. Mr. Chhannuram Mandavi, the former block president of the Kuwakonda block of Dantewada, and a Congress member considered close to the family of Salwa Judum founder Mahendra Karma, was accused of being a “police informer” by the Maoists.

He was killed at his home in the Cholnar village on the intervening night of Monday and Tuesday.

“Around 20 to 25 Maoists entered his house late last night and killed him. The Maoists also left some letters in which they accused him of helping the police in setting up a camp in his area and constructing roads. The Maoists also claimed to have warned Mr. Mandavi many times since 2004, and accused him of not listening to their repeated warnings,” Dantewada district Superintendent of Police (SP) Mr. Kamlochan Kashyap told The Hindu, while adding that this was not a “political killing”

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ists-killed-in-narayanpur/article19120154.ece

Maoist commander arrested in Bijapur
Two members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Narayanpur district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday, the police said.

“Their bodies were recovered after the gunfight with the Special Task Force and the District Reserve Guard near Hasnar village. Two 315 bore rifles... were recovered from the spot,” said D.M. Awasthi, Special Director-General of Police, Anti-Naxal Operations unit.

Superintendent of Police Santosh Singh told The Hindu that the gunfight occurred in the morning and lasted an hour after the forces chanced upon a Maoist camp.

Improvised Explosive Devices, Maoist uniforms, codex wires, sewing machine and Maoist literature were recovered.

The police arrested a Maoist commander in Bijapur district. Rakesh Sodi, local guerilla squad commander in Madded area, was arrested in the Punnur forest during a search, the Bijapur police said. Rakesh Sodi carried a reward of ₹3 lakh on his head.

 

[Hindustani78]

Police seized two rifles, IEDs, Maoist uniforms, codex wires, a sewing machine and Maoist literature from the spot of the encounter on Wednesday. | Photo Credit: Special Arrangement

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...d-in-narayanpur-encounter/article19120645.ece

Maoist commander arrested in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh

NAGPUR: Two alleged members of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) were killed during an encounter with security forces in Narayanpur district, south Chhattisgarh, on Wednesday, the police said.

“Two female Maoists were neutralised and their bodies recovered in an encounter with the Special Task Force and the District Reserve Guard near Hasnar village in Abujhmaad area of Naryanpur district [on Wednesday]. Two 315 bore rifles and many other articles were also recovered from the spot of the encounter,” said D.M.Awasthi, Special Director General of Police, anti-Naxal operations unit of the Chhattisgarh police.

According to Santosh Singh, Superintendent of Police, Narayanpur district, the encounter took place on Wednesday morning. “Our parties hit a Maoist camp in this area. The encounter lasted for an hour,” Mr. Singh told The Hindu.

Apart from the weapons, security forces also recovered improvised explosive devices (IEDs), Maoist uniforms, codex wires, a sewing machine and Maoist literature from the site of the encounter.

This was the third encounter in Chhattisgarh in the last four days in which the Maoists suffered casualties.

In a separate development, the police managed to nab a Maoist commander in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.

Rakesh Sodi, the local guerilla squad commander of the CPI (Maoist) in Madded area of Bijapur, was arrested from Punnur forest area under Awapalli police station limits during a search operation, police officials from the Bijapur district said. Sodi carried a reward of ₹3 lakh on his head.

 

[Hindustani78]

http://www.thehindu.com/news/nation...ma-district/article19140349.ece?homepage=true

Five special task force personnel were on June 24, 2017 injured in a fierce gun battle with Naxals in the dense forests of Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, police said. The encounter is still on, they added.

The exchange of fire is under way between a joint team of security forces and ultras in the interior forests of Chintagufa police station area, DIG (Dantewada range) Sundarraj. P told PTI. “As per the preliminary information, five STF jawans have sustained injuries in the encounter,” he said.


The joint team, comprising personnel from STF, District Reserve Guard (DRG) and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), was carrying out anti-Naxal operations in Chintagufa area, around 500 km from Raipur, he said. The team members were cordoning off a forest patch in southern part of Chintagufa when they came under fire from a group of Naxals, the IPS officer said. The security forces retaliated, triggering an exchange of fire, he said. The DIG said on getting information about the gun battle, reinforcement was rushed to the spot and efforts were on to evacuate the injured jawans. Further details were awaited, he added.

On April 24, 2017, 25 CRPF personnel were killed in a Naxal ambush in Burkapal area under Chintagufa police station of limits of Sukma.