29 Maoists dead in fierce Chhattisgarh operation
Twenty-nine Maoists were killed in a fierce encounter with joint forces of the state police and the Border Security Force (BSF) in Chhattisgarh’s Kanker district, officials said on Tuesday, in what is the most significant single-incident blow to the rebels in eight years, and the biggest ever in the state.
Three security personnel were also injured in the exchange of fire, with at least one jawan suffering bullet injuries. They have all been declared “out of immediate danger” and airlifted to Raipur for further medical treatment, the officials added.There was also speculation that senior Maoist leader Shankar Rao was among those killed.
The encounter comes days before the Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-hit constituencies in south Chhattisgarh go to the polls in the first phase of the Lok Sabha elections, with Bastar voting on April 19, and Kanker set to cast its ballot in the second phase on April 26.
With dense forests that present operational challenges, low road connectivity that makes accessing remote areas and gathering intelligence cumbersome, and heavily armed insurgents who use guerrilla tactics to attack and evade, LWE has been a four-decade-long security challenge in Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, Odisha and western Maharashtra.
Union home minister Amit Shah congratulated security forces for the encounter. “I congratulate all the security personnel who made this operation successful with their bravery and wish for the speedy recovery of the brave policemen who have been injured,” Shah wrote on X, adding that the “offensive policy” of the government and the efforts of security forces have confined Naxalism to a small area today.
“Naxalism is the biggest enemy of development, peace and bright future of youth. Under the leadership of Prime Minister Shri @narendramodi ji, we are determined to free the country from the menace of Naxalism… Soon Chhattisgarh and the entire country will be completely Naxal-free,” he added.
The Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) congratulated the security forces on the encounter, and said that this concerted effort would mean Bastar would be “Maoist-free” within a few years. “We are working according to the promises made by Prime Minister Modi who has said that Chhattisgarh will be Maoist free in a few years. This is a great success for our forces,” said Ajay Chandrakar, former minister and chief spokesperson of the state BJP.
Security experts said that the encounter was further evidence of both increased aggressiveness, and an uptick in operational efficiency. “In the last seven years we have established several security camps in forward areas of Maoists which are giving us operational benefits. The troops have to move less to reach their targets, giving Maoists little time to navigate their way out, catching them unawares. This is a game-changer,” said DM Awasthi, former Chhattisgarh director general of police.
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