The forces’ provides ran low and so they had been hungry and thirsty, however they did not let that have an effect on their morale and went on to kill 16 Maoists, together with a senior chief carrying a Rs 1-crore bounty, in Kulhadighat in Chhattisgarh’s Raipur district earlier this week.
Talking solely to NDTV on Thursday, Raipur Inspector Common of Police Amresh Mishra shared particulars of the encounter, revealing that the Maoists used drones to regulate the safety forces. He mentioned a few of the Maoists killed carried a mixed bounty of Rs 5 crore and that the extremists possible misplaced extra males, however could have carried away the our bodies.
Inputs, Operation
On Sunday night, intelligence inputs revealed that a big group of senior Maoist cadres was assembling within the hills of Kulhadighat. The group, reportedly comprising 25-30 distinguished Maoist leaders from Odisha and Chhattisgarh cadres, had convened to debate fund assortment, panchayat elections and establishing a secure hall from Bastar.
The operation was carried out in three phases: planning, tactical technique, and monitoring. The safety forces, geared up with exact intelligence, launched into what they’d thought can be an operation lasting a day and a half, which finally stretched on for 3 days – till Wednesday.
Mixed groups of E-30 troopers (Gariaband district), COBRA 207 and CRPF’s 65 and 211 battalions, together with Odisha’s Particular Operations Group (SOG), coordinated the tactical strike.
Difficult Terrain
The operation unfolded within the rugged hills of Kulhadighat, with heavy firing exchanged between the safety forces and the Maoists. Regardless of restricted rations and gruelling situations, the safety personnel demonstrated unwavering resolve and excessive morale.
Inspector Common Mishra mentioned, “The safety forces had initially set out for a one-and-a-half to two-day operation, however they ended up combating the Naxalites for 3 days, whereas remaining hungry and thirsty.”
The Maoists he mentioned, had additionally deployed two drones for surveillance, however the forces outmaneuvered them utilizing native drones for intelligence and monitoring. The extremists had been surrounded in a triangle-shaped ambush, with Odisha’s Particular Operations Group blocking escape routes to the state, and forces in Chhattisgarh protecting the remaining exits.
High Leaders Neutralised
Among the many 16 Naxals killed, 11 our bodies have been recognized and the most important identify of all of them was Jayaram Reddy aka Chalapati, a Central Committee Member, who was a a key Maoist strategist and had been lively since 1991. He was accountable for quite a few assaults, together with the killing of an MLA in Andhra Pradesh, and performed a central position in fund assortment and concrete Maoist propaganda. The federal government had introduced a Rs 1 crore reward for data resulting in his arrest.
Among the others are Jayaram alias Guddu, a mobilisation knowledgeable with a infamous document of organising Maoist operations and Satyam Gawade, a high commander in Kanker, accountable for coordinating main operations over a number of years.
“These leaders collectively carried a bounty exceeding Rs 5 crore,” Mr Mishra mentioned.
The officer emphasised that the elimination of those high leaders marks a turning level within the struggle towards Maoism.
“The killing of Chalapati, Guddu, and Gawade will cripple their community and methods. We’re on monitor to eradicate Maoism by March 2026, paving the best way for a brighter future for Bastar,” he mentioned.
Strategic Significance
Kulhadighat, a tribal-dominated area unfold throughout 75 km, contains seven villages surrounded by forests and hills. The world stays a no-network zone, with a inhabitants of about 1,500. 4 of the villages are located on hilltops, making accessibility a problem.
For many years, this area served as a strategic hub for Naxal leaders overseeing operations throughout Odisha, Andhra Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh. The rugged terrain and dense vegetation offered a pure defend, turning Kulhadighat right into a secure haven for Chalapati and different high cadre leaders.
The villagers in hilltop settlements lead secluded lives, descending solely as soon as every week to gather necessities resembling rations and water. Provides are transported again utilizing horses and mules. This exacerbates the problem of monitoring the world.