Latest news with #OperationSankalp
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Govt has lost control over Maoist ops: Ex-CM
Raipur: Did ' Operation Sankalp ' occur on the night of May 8 and why did the state govt delay announcing such a major success, were questions that former CM Bhupesh Baghel posed on Tuesday over announcements made in the anti-naxal operations and the Maoists killed in these all India Congress committee (AICC) general secretary said that the Chhattisgarh govt has lost control over Maoist operations , demanding resignations of CM Sai and home minister Vijay Sharma. Speaking to journalists at his Raipur residence on Tuesday, Baghel said, "The facts emerging from the Bijapur Naxal operation indicate a complete lack of control by the state govt. Different claims were made by the CM & the deputy CM, so whose claim is right?" He highlighted the discrepancies in the govt's statements. "On May 8, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai claimed that 22 Naxalites were killed in 'Operation Sankalp'. Home Minister Vijay Sharma later denied any such operation and disputed the casualty figures. But 22 bodies reached the Bijapur district hospital for post-mortem," he said. He reiterated the Congress party's unconditional support in the fight against Naxalites. "However, the govt cannot evade its responsibility. The Bijapur incident raises several questions and creates suspicion," he further alleged that the local and regional media were barred from accessing the hospital. "After questions arose and the bodies began to decompose in the mortuary, the police issued a release on May 12," he press releases claimed 31 Maoists were killed in 'Operation Sankalp' and 20 bodies have been identified. Eleven identified bodies were handed over to families after post-mortem and legal formalities. Identification of the remaining 11 bodies was underway. Baghel pointed out contradictions in the police statement. "If 20 bodies have been identified, why were only 11 handed over? How can the identification process be ongoing for 11 bodies if 20 have already been identified?" he raised several questions, including whether Operation Sankalp is still ongoing. If so, he demanded details. He questioned how the police could conduct such an operation without the knowledge of the home minister. He asked how many bodies were actually recovered and why, if 31 Naxalites were killed, only 22 bodies reached Bijapur. He also questioned the whereabouts of the remaining bodies, why the govt delayed announcing such a major success, the names of the identified Naxalites, who received the bodies, their relationship with the deceased, and how many bodies remain a police statement yesterday, amid continued secrecy over the Karegutta Hills operation, it was stated that 31 Maoists have been killed in the 'recent' encounters in Bijapur. Monday's police statement didn't specify exactly when and where these 'recent encounters' asked for details, officials said that everything about the identification of the deceased Maoists and the encounter or operation will be divulged during a press briefing on Wednesday.
Time of India
13-05-2025
- Politics
- Time of India
Chhattisgarh govt lacks control over Naxal operations, says Bhupesh Baghel, demands resignations
RAIPUR: All India Congress Committee (AICC) general secretary and former Chhattisgarh chief minister Bhupesh Baghel stated that the Chhattisgarh govt lost control over Maoist operations. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now He demanded the resignation of chief minister and home minister Vijay Sharma. Speaking to journalists at his Raipur residence on Tuesday, Baghel said, "The facts emerging from the Bijapur Naxal operation indicate a complete lack of control by the state govt. Deputy Chief Minister and home minister Vijay Sharma is unfit for his position and should resign immediately." He reiterated the Congress party's unconditional support in the fight against Naxalites. "However, the govt cannot evade its responsibility. The Bijapur incident raises several questions and creates suspicion," he added. Baghel highlighted the discrepancies in the govt's statements. "On May 8, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai claimed that 22 Naxalites were killed in ' '. Home minister Vijay Sharma later denied any such operation and disputed the casualty figures. But 22 bodies reached the Bijapur district hospital for post-mortem," he said. Baghel further alleged that the local and regional media were barred from accessing the hospital. "After questions arose and the bodies began to decompose in the mortuary, the police issued a release on May 12," he said. The press releases claimed 31 Maoists were killed in 'Operation Sankalp' and 20 bodies were identified. Eleven identified bodies were handed over to families after post-mortem and legal formalities. Tired of too many ads? go ad free now Identification of the remaining 11 bodies was underway. Baghel pointed out contradictions in the police statement. "If 20 bodies were identified, why were only 11 handed over? How can the identification process be ongoing for 11 bodies if 20 were already identified?" he questioned. Baghel raised several questions, including whether Operation Sankalp was still ongoing. If so, he asked for details. He questioned how the police could conduct such an operation without the knowledge of the home minister. He also asked how many bodies were actually recovered. If 31 Naxalites were killed, why did only 22 bodies reach Bijapur? Where are the remaining ones? Why did the govt delay announcing such a major success? What are the names of the identified Naxalites? Who received the bodies, and what is their relationship with the deceased? How many bodies remain unidentified?
India Today
13-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
What is government hiding: Ex-Chhattisgarh Chief Minister doubts Naxal operation
Former Chhattisgarh Chief Minister and senior Congress leader Bhupesh Baghel launched a sharp attack on the state government over the recent 22 encounter deaths in Bijapur district. Baghel raised serious questions over the validity, transparency, and intent behind Operation Sankalp, calling it a 'controversy that's only getting murkier by the day.'Addressing the media in Raipur, Baghel said: 'Why are the bodies of the Naxals not being handed over to their families? Why is it taking so long? What is the government trying to hide?'advertisementHe demanded that Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Home Minister Vijay Sharma take moral responsibility and resign, stating that the encounter, which reportedly killed 22 Naxals, raised more doubts than it answered. The Congress leader also pointed to conflicting statements from top state officials. 'The Chief Minister tweeted to congratulate the armed forces, but that tweet was deleted within two hours. Why was it taken down if the operation was successful?' he asked. Adding to the confusion, Home Minister Vijay Sharma later stated publicly that 'this operation is not Operation Sankalp', Baghel pointed out, saying it further complicated the government's narrative.'Why are they backtracking on their own stance? Either they are unsure about what really happened, or they are hiding something from the public,' Baghel alleged. He called for an immediate release of factual details — including the names of the deceased, their affiliations, and post-mortem reports — to maintain public trust in security to Baghel, 'If the government is claiming a big victory over Naxals, they should be transparent. But the secrecy, deleted tweets, and changing statements only indicate a deeper cover-up. This looks like one of the biggest controversies in recent times.'He also announced his visit to Bijapur on Tuesday, where he plans to meet the affected families and local villagers. 'The people of Bastar deserve answers. I will personally speak to those impacted and ensure their voices are heard,' he Congress party called for a judicial inquiry into the encounter and demanded that all relevant details be made public. Meanwhile, pressure is mounting on the ruling BJP government to clarify its position and provide a consistent account of the operation.
Hindustan Times
12-05-2025
- Politics
- Hindustan Times
31 Maoist bodies recovered in Op Sankalp on Chhattisgarh-Telangana border: Cops
RAIPUR: RAIPUR: The Chhattisgarh police on Monday said they have recovered the bodies of 31 suspected Maoists during 'Operation Sankalp' in the dense forests surrounding the Karregutta hills along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. It is not clear when the Maoists were killed. Bijapur superintendent of police Jitendra Yadav said that detailed information regarding the operation will be shared during a press briefing in Bijapur on Tuesday. Police said they have identified 20 of the 31 deceased Maoists and 11 of the 20 identified bodies have been handed over to their families after post-mortem examinations and completion of other legal formalities. 'The identification process for the remaining 11 bodies is underway. Once the process is complete, their bodies will also be returned to their respective families,' said a statement issued by the Bijapur police. On April 3, one woman Maoist was killed in the same operation, which is yet to be identified. Earlier, on April 24, three women Maoists were gunned down in the same region, and a significant cache of weapons, explosives, and other materials was seized. The operation in the area, named 'Operation Sankalp', started on April 21. 'So far, we have good operational outcomes in the ongoing anti-naxal operations in South -West Bastar. All security forces are safe and fully committed to ensuring a safe and secure Bastar region. As the operation is currently in progress, specific details cannot be disclosed at this time for security reasons. Authorised authorities will share further information at an appropriate time,' said a police officer on the condition of anonymity. People familiar with the matter said that more than 280,00 troops were inducted in the operation and since April 21. around 35 encounters have taken place. 'We have recovered more than 400 IEDs and around 40 weapons along with approximately 2 tonnes of explosive materials,' said a police officer. The operation, described as one of the largest counter-insurgency missions in Bastar, involves around 28,000 personnel from various units, including Chhattisgarh Police's District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, Special Task Force (STF), the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and its elite CoBRA unit. Authorities launched the offensive following intelligence inputs about the presence of top Maoist leaders, including those from the Telangana state committee and the heavily armed 'battalion number 1'—regarded as the strongest military wing of the Maoists. According to police, the Karregutta hill range serves as a stronghold for the battalion. Intelligence reports suggest that several senior cadres have been either killed or critically injured during the operation. So far, hundreds of Maoist hideouts and bunkers have been destroyed, and large quantities of explosives, detonators, food supplies, and daily-use items have been recovered. Six security personnel from STF, DRG, and CoBRA units sustained injuries in separate pressure IED blast incidents but are reported to be out of danger. With the latest action, 168 Maoists have been gunned down in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year. Of them, 151 were eliminated in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur.
India Today
08-05-2025
- Politics
- India Today
Three Telangana police personnel killed in Maoist landmine blasts
Three police personnel were killed in a landmine blast triggered by Maoists in Telangana's Mulugu district, near the Chhattisgarh border, early Thursday morning. The incident took place around 7.30 am when a police team was on routine bomb detection to PTI, Maoists detonated an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted in the forest area, resulting in the immediate deaths of three personnel from the Telangana police. The area where the incident occurred is known for its dense forest cover and proximity to the inter-state border, which has made it a sensitive zone for Maoist activity. Sources report that the landmine blast, which occurred under the limits of the Wazeedu police station, marks the first fatal encounter between Telangana Police and Left-wing extremists this remains high in the area following the attack. Further investigation into the incident is ongoing. The banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) has been active in parts of Telangana, especially in districts bordering Chhattisgarh. The region has witnessed periodic violence, and police patrols are frequently deployed to monitor the movement of extremists and detect explosives.A day before the blast, security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh had eliminated 22 Maoists during a fierce encounter as part of 'Operation Sankalp,' a large-scale counter-insurgency operation targeted the dense Karregutta forest region, which spans the inter-state borders of Bijapur, Mulugu, and latest incident adds to a series of incidents reported from Mulugu district in recent December 2024, seven Maoists, including a senior commander, were killed in an encounter with Telangana Police in the Chalpaka forests of Mulugu district. The Greyhounds launched the operation during early morning combing activities. Among the deceased was Kursam Mangu, commander of the Yellandu-Narsampet area committee and a member of the CPI (Maoist)'s Telangana State IN THIS STORY#Telangana
