Raipur, May 23 (IANS) A Maoist was killed in an armed confrontation with security forces in Sukma district, Chhattisgarh, on Friday.

Reports from police sources indicate that the Maoist was killed in the exchange of gunfire, while a search operation is still underway in the Kistaram police station area.

Authorities received intelligence suggesting the presence of a large number of Maoists in the dense forests of Kistaram.

Acting upon the information, a joint task force comprising the District Reserve Guard, Special Task Force, and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action was deployed for a search operation.

As security personnel arrived at the location, the Naxalites opened fire, prompting an immediate retaliation.

Sukma Police confirmed that one Maoist was killed during the encounter.

Meanwhile, Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai and Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma carried the mortal remains of CoBRA battalion soldier Mehul Solanki, who lost his life in the encounter between security forces and Maoists in the forest area of Abujhmad in Narayanpur on May 21.

Among those neutralised in recent anti-Naxal operations was Basava Raju, a notorious Maoist leader with a bounty of Rs ten crore on his head. Raju was killed during an encounter on the Narayanpur-Dantewada border in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday.

To celebrate their success, DRG soldiers sang, danced, and played with colours on Thursday night, while family members of security personnel performed “Aarti” upon their return.

Videos of the celebrations surfaced in the media. Basava Raju was one of the most wanted Maoists in India, with law enforcement agencies from six states actively searching for him.

He was finally neutralised in the Abujhmad area of Chhattisgarh by DRG forces, along with 26 other Maoists, including Jangu, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh.

As a politburo member and general secretary of the Naxal organisation, Basava Raju’s elimination marked a significant success for security forces.

Following the encounter, soldiers celebrated in the jungle near the bodies of slain militants, while fireworks were set off in Narayanpur city.

In addition to Basava Raju, 26 other Maoists were killed in the confrontation, including Jangu Naveen alias Madhu, a Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee Member, who had a bounty of twenty-five lakh rupees.

Several other militants with rewards of ten lakh and eight lakh rupees were also killed. The cumulative reward announced for the deceased Maoists amounted to Rs 11,60,00,000.

During the operation, security personnel recovered a substantial cache of weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, four SLR rifles, six INSAS rifles, one carbine, six .303 rifles, one BGL launcher, one rocket launcher, two Bara bore guns, two Bharmar guns, and other ammunition, according to police officials.

–IANS

sktr/svn