Raipur/Bijapur, Nov 11 (IANS) A Maoist was detained after he was injured during a fresh encounter with security forces in the dense forests of Annaram in the Tarlagud area of Bijapur district on Tuesday evening, police officials said.

It is another tactical gain in the sustained anti-Naxal operations across Chhattisgarh’s volatile interstate border regions. The gun battle erupted as part of intensified search-and-destroy missions targeting Maoist hideouts in the forested pockets along the Maharashtra and Telangana boundaries.

Police forces in Bijapur confirmed that the injured Maoist has been shifted to a secure medical facility under heavy escort, where he is receiving treatment for gunshot wounds.

Interrogation has commenced under controlled conditions to extract vital information about the group’s composition, leadership hierarchy, and planned activities.

Authorities believe the detainee may provide critical leads on supply routes and safe houses used by the dwindling Maoist network in the tri-junction area.

The operation, launched under a coordinated framework involving multiple district units, commenced early in the day following credible intelligence about a small group of armed cadres moving through the Annaram sector.

Joint teams from the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, and supporting Central Reserve Police Force contingents fanned out across the rugged terrain, navigating narrow ravines and thick undergrowth to flush out the insurgents. Contact was established in the late afternoon when security personnel intercepted the Maoist squad, leading to a brief but intense exchange of fire.

Amid the chaos, one cadre sustained bullet injuries and was overpowered by the advancing forces. The remaining members managed to scatter into the deeper jungle, prompting an immediate expansion of the cordon to prevent their regrouping or escape across state lines.

Search operations continue unabated across the Annaram-Tarlagud belt, with additional reinforcements deployed to comb adjoining hill ranges and riverine stretches. Drone surveillance and canine units have been pressed into service to track footprints and detect possible caches of arms or explosives.

Security forces remain on high alert for retaliatory ambushes, a common Maoist tactic in response to such setbacks.

A senior police official, speaking on condition of anonymity, stated that the operation aligns with the broader strategy to dominate core Maoist zones before the onset of winter, when insurgents traditionally attempt to replenish ranks.

“Every neutralisation or detention weakens their operational spine,” the officer noted. A comprehensive briefing, including the identity of the detained cadre, weapon recoveries, and further casualties, if any, will be released once the area is fully sanitised and the operation concluded, the police official said.

For now, the focus remains on maintaining pressure and ensuring no Maoist elements regroup in the strategically sensitive border corridor.

–IANS

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