4 Maoists with ₹18 lakh bounty killed in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli

The Hindu

23-05-2025

Four Maoists, including two women, carrying a collective bounty of ₹18 lakh, were killed by security personnel in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli on Friday (May 23, 2025), police said.
The encounter took place along the Maharastra-Chhattisgarh border barely 25 km from the site where 27 Maoists, including Nambala Keshav Rao, alias Basavaraju, general secretary of the outlawed CPI (Maoist), were killed in an encounter with the Chhattisgarh Police's District Reserve Guards two days ago, Gadchiroli Superintendent of Police Neelotpal told The Hindu. Mr. Neelotpal, however, added that the slain cadres were active in Maharashtra and the forces had another gunbattle with them ten days ago.
'Based on a credible intelligence received about presence of Maoist formations on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border near recently opened FOB Kawande, an operation led by Addnl SP Ramesh and 12 C-60 parties (300 commandoes) and a component of CRPF was launched yesterday noon from Kawande and Nelgunda towards bank of Indravati [river] amidst heavy rain in the area,' said a statement from the police. C-60 or Commando-60 is a trained security force that carries out anti-Naxal operations in hilly and remote areas of Gadchiroli district.
The police statement added that when the cordon was being laid and the river bank being searched, Maoists started indiscriminate firing on C-60 commandos, which led to effective retaliation by the forces. 'Intermittent exchange of fire continued for almost two hours. Area search by forces has led to recovery of 4 Maoist dead bodies, one automatic self-loading rifle, two .303 rifles and a Bharmar (country-made gun). Apart from this, walkie-talkies, camping material, Naxal literature, etc., have been seized from the spot,' it added.
Mr. Neelotpal said that among those killed was Sannu Masa Pungati, a 35-year-old dalam commander. A dalam refers to a squad or armed unit within the Maoist organisation.
In another encounter reported in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, a Maoist operative was killed by the security forces in an anti-Naxal operation, a senior officer said on Friday.
The operation was launched on Thursday (May 22, 2025) when a joint team comprising personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force and 210th battalion of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite unit of Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) left for a forested area under the jurisdiction of Kistaram police station area. The gunbattle broke in the evening during which one Maoist was killed, the officer said, adding that exchange of fire was still underway in the area till Friday evening.
Meanwhile, another operation in a distinct part of Sukma that was launched by the forces on Wednesday was called off late Thursday evening. In that encounter, a CoBRA commando, and a Maoist operative were killed.
24 Maoists surrender
In a related development, 24 Maoists, including 20 members carrying a reward of ₹87.50 lakh, surrendered before the police in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, said Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav. Among those surrendered is a Deputy Commander of PLGA Company No. 2, a major military formation in the banned outfit, said Mr. Yadav.
'Disillusionment with the ideas of the organisation and disappointment and growing internal differences within the organisation, surrendered due to the desire to live a safe family life by joining the mainstream of society,' he added.