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The Wire
13 hours ago
- Politics
- The Wire
Six Maoists Including Battalion One Chief Shot Dead in Bastar Ahead of Martyrdom Week
Hyderabad: After a brief lull in their gun battle, the police shot dead six Maoists, including four women, on Friday (July 18) in an alleged encounter close to where party supremo Nambala Kesava Rao fell to their bullets in Abhujmad forest of Narayanpur district in Chhattisgarh on May 21. Thursday's encounter, which claimed the lives of six members of the dreaded Battalion One of People's Liberation Guerilla Army, the most dangerous unit of CPI (Maoist), dealt another deadly blow to the party. It took place after uneasy calm in the contiguous forest of Chhattisgarh since the previous one on June 7, when seven comrades, including a Central Committee member Sudhakar and two Telangana State committee members Bhaskar and Bandi Prakash, were shot down. It was more than 24 hours after the encounter that the police declared the identity of the slain Maoists on Saturday evening. The Inspector General of Police of Bastar region, Sundarraj P, issued a press release saying the slain Maoists were identified as Rahul Punem alias Latchu Punem, commander of Battalion One of PLGA and a Bastar Divisional Committee member, and PLGA members Ungi Tati, Manisha, Tati Meena alias Choti, Harish and Kudam Budhri. An AK 47 assault rifle, a self-loading rifle and other arms and ammunition were recovered. Battalion One is primarily used for ensuring the safe movement of senior Maoist leaders. The killing of Rahul Punem, who headed the battalion, is a significant setback for the party, the release said, adding that, with this encounter, the total number of Maoists killed in Bastar region in 2025 has gone up to 204. Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria said that based on credible intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist cadre in Pariya-Kakur jungles of Abhujmad, a joint operation was launched on July 17 by personnel of District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force and the Border Security Force. On July 18, intermittent exchanges of fire took place between the Maoists and the security forces throughout the afternoon. "We are in a decisive phase of eliminating Naxalism from Bastar. Those who are misled by its hollow ideology and continue to obstruct the region's development must surrender. This is the only way to secure their lives and reclaim their dignity. If not, they will face inevitable consequences," said Robinson. The Inspector General Sundarraj P. said "a determined and effective campaign is underway across Bastar division against the banned and illegal CPI (Maoist) outfit. In just the first half of 2005, as many as 204 Maoists have been neutralised in various encounters. Bastar police is committed to continuing this momentum". It is significant that the latest encounter took place days ahead of the "martyrdom week" observed by Maoists every year from July 28-August 3 to commemorate those who died in the party's armed struggle. CPI (Maoist) recently released a press note and a 24-page booklet in Gondi and English calling for the success of the week to counter the dwindling strength of the party and honour the fallen comrades. The note highlighted Bastar as the fulcrum of Dandakaranya, where the outfit suffered its biggest loss with 281 fatalities reported in this area alone in the past year. Overall, the party claimed that 357 Naxalites were killed in encounters since the launch of 'Operation Kagar' on January 1 last year. They included 136 women, four central committee members and 15 state committee members. The encounters ran alongside sustained counter-insurgency efforts and attractive rehabilitation packages. The combined strategy has significantly impacted the Maoist movement. Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai last week in a post on X said that 1,521 Maoists have surrendered in the state in the past 15 months. On an average, three Maoists have surrendered every day during the period. He called it "a strong indicator of the increasing reach and trust of the government in the Maoist affected regions". Sai also wrote "this is not just a surrender, it is a victory of trust – the trust our government has built by taking development to the remotest corners through people-centric schemes. Today, it's not the bullets but the voice of development that can be heard in Bastar". Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran S. Chavan said that all surrendered Maoists will be provided the incentive amount and other facilities at the rate of Rs 50,000 each under the new rehabilitation policy of the government. The stick and carrot policy of Chhattisgarh government had a cascading effect on adjoining Telangana too where surrenders have spiked. In view of the onslaught against them in Chhattisgarh, members of the cadre, who had origins in Telangana but had been posted in Chhattisgarh for party work, looked up to political leaders in Telangana to negotiate their surrender before the police. About 390 such cadre members surrendered this year in Telangana. A top Maoist couple from Chhattisgarh surrendered itself to Ambar Kumar Jha, Commissioner of Police of Ramagundam in Telangana, four days ago. Atram Latchanna, a member of the Telangana State committee of CPI (Maoist) and his wife Atram Aruna had surrendered to him. They hailed from villages under the jurisdictional limits of the commissionerate. While Latchanna led the party activities in Chhattisgarh for over three decades and maintained close contact with top leadership of the party, Aruna worked as the divisional committee secretary of the party in Bastar. The couple was driven in a car by the police from Chhattisgarh when they expressed a desire to surrender to police in Telangana. Latchanna told media persons that he was asked to face the risk when he approached the party leadership to let him surrender. Another couple from Chhattisgarh – Sanjeev, member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee's secretariat, and his wife Perugula Parvathi who was also a member of the committee, surrendered before Commissioner of Police of Rachakonda, G. Sudhir Babu, on July 17. The police official announced a reward of Rs 20 lakh each to the couple. Sanjeev, who spent over four-and-a-half decades underground, was a key member of Jana Natya Mandali (JNM), the cultural troupe of CPI (Maoist) founded by late balladeer Gadar. The couple attracted tribals of Chhattisgarh towards Naxalism with their songs and dances in Hindi, Telugu and Koya languages. Sanjeev had joined the JNM under the leadership of Gadar in 1980 and continued in the organisation till 1986. Thereafter, he joined the ranks of People's War to propagate the ideology of the party through song and dance in villages. After his marriage to Parvathi, the couple was involved in training the cadre of JNM. It took up performances on behalf of CPI (Maoist) after the merger of People's War with the party. Sanjeev survived two encounters with police during his underground life. He was once picked up by the police in a decoy operation when he was admitted for treatment of an injury at the Nizam's Institute of Medical Sciences hospital in Hyderabad in the early nineties. Then, Additional Superintendent of Police of Warangal A.R. Anuradha, dressed as a doctor and went to his hospital bed to take him into custody on receiving information about his admission.
Indian Express
a day ago
- Indian Express
Friday's encounter killed Maoists in charge of ensuring safe passage to senior leaders, Chhattisgarh police say
Police in Chhattisgarh said that the six Maoists killed in an encounter on Friday were cadres of the People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) platoon 1 and were responsible for ensuring the safe passage of senior Maoist leaders. The six had a collective bounty of Rs 48 lakh on them, police said. One of the Maoists was identified as Rahul Punem (38), alias Lachhu Punem, from Dalla village in Sukma. He was a Divisional Committee member and commander of platoon 1. Four of the killed Maoists were women, officials said. Inspector General of Police for Bastar Range Sundarraj P said, 'One AK-47 rifle, one SLR rifle, one 12-bore rifle, and 11 BGL launchers, among other weapons, were recovered.' The Superintendent of Police for Narayanpur district, Robinson Guria, said there were multiple challenges during the operation. 'We had to cross several rivers and nullahs that were swollen and deep due to the rainy season. The nearest police camp was around 20-25 km away.' The encounter took place in the Pariya-Kakur forest area in the Abhujmad region near the Maharashtra, Kanker and Narayanpur trijunction. The spot is about 50 km from Narayanpur district headquarters. Abujhmad region is larger than Goa in size and remains 90% unsurveyed. The operation was undertaken by a joint team comprising District Reserve Guard (DRG) personnel from Narayanpur, Kanker, Bastar, and Kondagaon districts, Special Task Force (STF) units of Chhattisgarh, and battalions of the Border Security Force (BSF). So far this year, 221 Maoists have been killed in Chhattisgarh.
Time of India
a day ago
- Politics
- Time of India
Maoists killed in Abujhmarh encounter carried 48L cash bounty
Raipur: The six Maoists killed in Abujhmarh on Friday included four women, a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) and commander of PLGA Platoon No 01, who played a critical role in facilitating the movement of senior Maoist leaders and carried a cash bounty of Rs 48 lakh. Six Maoists were killed during a fierce encounter in the dense forests of Pariya-Kakur in Abujhmarh in Narayanpur district of Bastar division. The operation was conducted under the state-led "Marh Bachao Abhiyan" and part of the broader Operation Monsoon, has marked a significant achievement for Narayanpur Police and joint security forces, including DRG, STF, and BSF units. Among the six Maoists killed were Rahul Punem alias Lachhu (38), DVCM, Commander, PLGA Platoon No. 01 from Sukma, Ungi Tati (24), Member from Jagargunda, Sukma, Manisha (25), Member from Sonpur, Narayanpur, Tati Meena alias Somari alias Chhoti (22), Member from Gangloor, Bijapur, Harish alias Kosa (25), Member from Pamed, Bijapur and Kudam Budhri (21), Member from Dhanora, Narayanpur. Each carried an individual reward of Rs 8 lakh announced by the Chhattisgarh govt. Police officials said that despite difficult terrain and heavy rains, security forces launched an intensive search operation based on specific intelligence inputs. The offensive began on July 17 and involved DRG personnel from Narayanpur, Bastar, Kondagaon, and Kanker districts, supported by STF units and the 129th, 133rd, and 135th battalions of the Border Security Force (BSF). On July 18, intermittent gunfire exchanges erupted between Maoist cadres and the advancing forces. The operation culminated in a major breakthrough with the recovery of six bodies and a cache of sophisticated weapons, including one AK-47 rifle, an SLR, a 12-bore gun, 11 BGL launchers, and 83 BGL shells. Explosives, Maoist literature, and survival items were also seized from the site. With this operation, the total number of Maoists neutralized in Bastar in 2025 has risen to 204. Addressing the press at Police Line, Narayanpur, Inspector General (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said, "A determined and effective campaign is underway across Bastar against the banned CPI (Maoist). The neutralization of over 200 Maoists this year underscores the unwavering commitment of the police and security forces to restore peace and development." Superintendent of Police, Narayanpur, Robinson Guria, added, "We are in a decisive phase of eliminating Naxalism from Bastar. Those still trapped in this hollow ideology must surrender and return to the mainstream. If not, they will meet the same fate."
Time of India
a day ago
- Time of India
Maoists killed in Bastar's Abujhmarh encounter carried Rs 48 lakh bounty, includes four women & top PLGA commander
RAIPUR: The six Maoists killed in Abujhmarh on Friday included four women, a Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) and commander of PLGA Platoon No. 01, who played a critical role in facilitating the movement of senior Maoist leaders and carried a cash bounty of Rs 48 lakh. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Six Maoists were killed during a fierce encounter in the dense forests of Pariya-Kakur in Abujhmarh in Narayanpur district of Bastar division. The operation was conducted under the state-led 'Marh Bachao Abhiyan' and part of the broader Operation Monsoon, has marked a significant achievement for Narayanpur Police and joint security forces, including DRG, STF, and BSF units. Among the six Maoists killed were Rahul Punem alias Lachhu (38), DVCM, Commander, PLGA Platoon No. 01 from Sukma, Ungi Tati (24), Member, from Jagargunda, Sukma, Manisha (25), Member, from Sonpur, Narayanpur, Tati Meena alias Somari alias Chhoti (22), Member, from Gangloor, Bijapur, Harish alias Kosa (25), Member, from Pamed, Bijapur and Kudam Budhri (21), Member, from Dhanora, Narayanpur. Each carried an individual reward of Rs 8 lakh announced by the Chhattisgarh government. Police officials said that despite difficult terrain and heavy rains, security forces launched an intensive search operation based on specific intelligence inputs. The offensive began on July 17 and involved DRG personnel from Narayanpur, Bastar, Kondagaon, and Kanker districts, supported by STF units and the 129th, 133rd, and 135th battalions of the Border Security Force (BSF). On July 18, intermittent gunfire exchanges erupted between Maoist cadres and the advancing forces. The operation culminated in a major breakthrough with the recovery of six bodies and a cache of sophisticated weapons, including one AK-47 rifle, an SLR, a 12-bore gun, 11 BGL launchers, and 83 BGL shells. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Explosives, Maoist literature, and survival items were also seized from the site. With this operation, the total number of Maoists neutralized in Bastar in 2025 has risen to 204. Addressing the press at Police Line, Narayanpur, Inspector General (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P. said, 'A determined and effective campaign is underway across Bastar against the banned CPI (Maoist). The neutralization of over 200 Maoists this year underscores the unwavering commitment of the police and security forces to restore peace and development.' Superintendent of Police, Narayanpur, Robinson Guria, added, 'We are in a decisive phase of eliminating Naxalism from Bastar. Those still trapped in this hollow ideology must surrender and return to the mainstream. If not, they will meet the same fate.'
