Not 12 but 18 Naxalites killed in Bijapur encounter, Damodar carrying a reward of Rs 50 lakh also included – Read

18 Naxalites were killed by security forces in an encounter in Pujari Kanker area of ​​Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. On Saturday, Maoist South Division Committee Secretary Ganga issued a press release saying that not 12 but 18 Naxalites have been killed in the encounter. These include Maoist leader Damodar alias Chokha Rao carrying a reward of Rs 50 lakh. Apart from this, PPCMhungi, Deve, Joga and Narasimha Rao were also killed.

The Maoists suffered huge losses in the encounter that took place on Thursday, January 16. In this encounter, the security forces broke the back of the Maoists. Police killed Maoist leader Damodar Rao. Secretary Ganga has accepted the killing of 18 Maoists. They were successful in taking away the bodies of 6 killed Naxalites.

According to the information, the encounter started at around 9 am on Thursday morning between the joint team of DRG Bijapur, Dantewada, Sukma, Cobra Battalion and CRPF and the Naxalites. During the search after the encounter, the security forces recovered bodies of 12 Maoists. It is being told that the Maoists managed to escape from the spot with the remaining 6 bodies.

Security forces had launched the operation in South Bastar after receiving information about the presence of large cadres of Maoists. DRG, STF and CRPF personnel from Bijapur, Dantewada and Sukma districts were sent in this operation. There was an encounter between PLGA Battalion No. 01 and the Central Regional Committee in Pamed Basaguda Usur area of ​​South Bastar Division. This encounter lasted for about 24 hours.

In this encounter, the force personnel had recovered the bodies of 12 Maoists from the spot, in this case IG Sundarraj P had already said that the hardcore Maoists had been killed. However, the identities of the 12 Maoists whose bodies were recovered by the force had not been identified yet. Meanwhile, the Maoists themselves have issued a press note accepting the statement of 18 Maoists including Maoist leader Damodar Rao.

Report-Sumit Sengar/Bijapur