Top Maoist commander Tulsi killed in encounter
The fierce encounter that began on Monday night in the Hussainabad subdivision of the district continued on Tuesday.
An SLR rifle was recovered from the encounter site. The gunfight continued into Tuesday morning, and unconfirmed reports suggest that several other Maoists may have been injured or killed.
Security personnel have launched a massive search operation across the area.
Senior officials, including Palamu Superintendent of Police (SP) Rishma Rameshan and top CRPF officers, are present at the spot.
According to an official, the operation was launched based on intelligence inputs about the presence of Maoist commander Nitesh -- who carries a reward of Rs 15 lakh -- and his squad in Sitachuan, a forested area on the border of Mohammadganj and Haidernagar police station limits.
Sanjay Godram, another Maoist with a bounty of Rs 10 lakh, is also believed to be part of this group.
As police and security forces closed in on the location, Maoists opened fire, prompting the forces to retaliate.
In a significant development, 18 Maoists, including four associated with Battalion No. 1, surrendered in Sukma, Chhattisgarh, under the influence of the 'Niyad Nellanar' scheme.
According to Sukma SP, Kiran G Chavan, Naxals from four different battalions, including those active in South Bastar, chose to abandon insurgency.
He urged others to follow suit, highlighting that surrendered individuals would receive benefits from state government schemes aimed at rehabilitation.
After elimination of Basvaraju – the dreaded Maoist who was carrying a Rs 1.5 crore bounty on his head, more Maoists are expected to surrender, the officer said.
The surrender is an outcome of the 'Lon Varratu' campaign launched by the government and actively propagated by security forces.
'Lon Varratu' means come back home to your roots. The officers talk with the Maoists, particularly the young ones to lay down arms and join the mainstream of development.
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