4 Maoists Killed in Encounter with Gadchiroli Police, CRPF
According to the officials, the operation, which went on for nearly 36 hours, was launched on Thursday afternoon following information about the presence of the Naxalites in the Kawande area.
Mumbai: In a major anti-Maoist operation, four Naxals were killed in a joint operation by Maharashtra Police's C-60 commandos and the CRPF along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in Gadchiroli. The security forces also recovered an array of weapons and equipment including an automatic self-loading rifle, two .303 rifles, a Bharmar gun, walkie-talkies, camping gear, Maoist propaganda material, and other items.
According to the officials, the operation, which went on for nearly 36 hours, was launched on Thursday afternoon following information about the presence of the Naxalites in the Kawande area. A dozen C-60 units comprising around 300 commandos, along with CRPF personnel started the operation from Kawande and Nelgunda towards the bank of Indravati despite the heavy rain.
On Friday morning, as security forces laid a cordon and began search operations, Maoists opened indiscriminate fire, prompting a strong retaliation from the security personnel. The intermittent exchange of fire lasted for nearly two hours.
Following the encounter, security forces recovered the bodies of four Maoists, two men and two women, along with a cache of arms. “The operation was initiated based on specific intelligence reports,” a Gadchiroli police official said.
Search operations, along with anti-Naxalite operations, are still going on to find out the remaining Maoists in the area.
The encounter in Maharashtra follows the massive anti-Naxal operation in Chhattisgarh, where 27 Maoists, including top leader Basavaraju, were killed just two days ago. Gadchiroli, located in eastern Maharashtra, has long been a hotspot for Maoist insurgency. The district shares a porous and forested border with Chhattisgarh, making it a strategic location for Maoist operations and a frequent target for counter-insurgency missions.
Officials hailed the success of the operation as a major blow to Maoist activities in the region, reiterating their commitment to maintaining peace and security in affected areas.