At least six Maoists were killed in separate encounters with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district following a major anti-insurgency operation in the National Park forest area. The operation was launched based on specific intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist leaders in the region.
According to sources, security agencies received confirmed information that Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee member and West Sub-Zonal Bureau in-charge Sunnum Chandrayya alias Paparao, along with National Park Area Committee chief Dilip Bedja, were hiding in the forest area. Acting on the inputs, security forces launched a coordinated search and combing operation.
During an encounter on Saturday, four Maoists, including Dilip Bedja, were killed. One woman Maoist was also among the deceased. On Sunday, two more Maoists were killed in a fresh exchange of fire in the same area.
Security forces recovered an AK-47 rifle, a .303 rifle and a large quantity of explosives from the encounter site. Search operations in the region are continuing, officials said.