Security forces achieved a significant victory in Chhattisgarh’s Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district on Wednesday, eliminating two high-ranking Naxalites. These individuals were subject to a combined reward of 35 lakh rupees. The encounter occurred in the Banda hill forest, under the Madanwada police station’s jurisdiction. The joint operation involved the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Indo-Tibetan Border Police (ITBP). Intelligence gathered on Tuesday night prompted the operation, indicating the presence of senior Maoist leaders. Amidst heavy rainfall on Wednesday afternoon, Naxalites initiated firing as forces were establishing a cordon around the Banda hill area, near Retegaon village. Security forces retaliated, which led to the deaths of the two Naxalites. Following the encounter, the bodies were discovered during a search operation.
The deceased Naxalites were identified as Vijay Reddy, a member of the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee, and Lokesh Salame, a member of the Divisional Committee. Reddy was carrying a bounty of 25 lakh rupees, with additional rewards announced in the neighboring state of Maharashtra. Salame was wanted with a bounty of 10 lakh rupees. The police are actively searching for the associates of the killed Naxalites. Reports suggest that Reddy was a leading Maoist figure in the Rajnandgaon-Kanker border division and was known for his activities near the Gadchiroli district of Maharashtra.
Up to this point this year, security forces have taken down 229 Naxalites in Chhattisgarh, with 208 of those being killed in the Bastar division. The areas included are Bijapur, Bastar, Kanker, Kondagaon, Narayanpur, Sukma, and Dantewada. The Superintendent of Police, Y.P. Singh, provided details and confirmed the elimination of the important Naxalites during the search operation.
