RAIPUR, India – In a significant breakthrough against Left Wing Extremism, Indian security forces have neutralized 10 Maoists, including a senior commander, during a fierce encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district. The operation, which took place on Thursday, is being hailed as a major blow to the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist).
According to police officials, a joint team of the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) launched a search operation in the Bhaludihi forest area under Mainpur police station limits after receiving specific intelligence inputs about the presence of senior Maoist cadres.
The team came under heavy fire from the Maoists, leading to a prolonged gun battle. After the firing ceased, security personnel conducted a search of the area and recovered the bodies of 10 Maoists. The deceased include Modem Balakrishna, a senior leader and Central Committee Member of the CPI (Maoist), who had a bounty of Rs 1 crore on his head.
Balakrishna, who was also known by his aliases Manoj, Balanna, Ramachander, and Bhaskar, had been active in the movement since the 1980s. He was considered one of the top leaders of the outfit and was a central figure in orchestrating attacks and expanding the insurgency. His death is a major setback for the Maoist organization.
The operation is part of a broader, coordinated crackdown by security forces in Chhattisgarh, which has seen a significant increase in the number of Maoists killed and arrested this year.
The police have also recovered a large cache of arms, ammunition, and explosives from the encounter site.
The security forces are continuing to search the area for any remaining Maoists or hidden caches. The successful operation underscores the government’s commitment to eradicating Left Wing Extremism and restoring peace and development in the affected regions.
