Maoist Tension Peaks on Telangana-Chhattisgarh Border
Seven other senior Maoist cadres were also neutralised in the operation, with several weapons, including INSAS rifles, seized from the site. Even before the dust settled in Jharkhand, another encounter unfolded in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday, resulting in the deaths of two Maoists.
Warangal: Once alive with birdsongs and the calls of wildlife, the forests along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border now reverberate with gunfire, as a series of deadly encounters between Maoists and security forces has turned the remote terrain into a virtual war zone.
Tensions have peaked in the Karrigutta forest range of Mulugu district, where over 2,000 personnel from Telangana, Chhattisgarh and central forces have launched a massive joint combing operation from early Tuesday under Operation Bachao Karriguttalu, targeting suspected Maoist hideouts.
Acting on intelligence reports indicating a significant Maoist presence, troops including CRPF units have encircled the region. Maoists are believed to have laid explosives around the area’s periphery and issued warnings to tribal residents to stay away. Amid the rising tension, unconfirmed reports suggest a gunfight broke out on Tuesday morning near Usur block, close to Karrigutta, though officials are yet to confirm.
This comes just a day after eight Maoists, including central committee member Prayag Manjhi, were killed in an encounter in the hilly terrain of Jharkhand’s Bokaro district. Central forces confirmed Manjhi’s death, stating he also operated under the aliases Vivek Da, Fuchna, Nago Manjhi and Karan Da, and carried a bounty of `1 crore.
Seven other senior Maoist cadres were also neutralised in the operation, with several weapons, including INSAS rifles, seized from the site. Even before the dust settled in Jharkhand, another encounter unfolded in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh on Monday, resulting in the deaths of two Maoists.
Tragedy struck again in Bijapur the same day when Manoj Pujari, a jawan of the 19 C Battalion, was killed in an IED blast during a road construction mission near Bedre police station. On Tuesday, Maoists allegedly triggered another landmine during a combing operation within the Usur police station limits. Authorities have yet to release an official statement on the incident.
