According to officers, the operation began late on Tuesday after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of Company No 10 cadres and other Maoist members from Chhattisgarh in the border forests, allegedly planning violent activities
Gadchiroli Police pay their final respects to the jawan who was killed in action on Friday. Pic/Gadchiroli Police
Police on Saturday shared fresh details about the three-day anti-Maoist operation along the Gadchiroli–Chhattisgarh border, in which seven Maoists were encountered and one C-60 commando was killed in action, shedding light on the scale and complexity of the action in the dense Abujhmaad forest.
According to officers, the operation began late on Tuesday after intelligence inputs indicated the presence of Company No 10 cadres and other Maoist members from Chhattisgarh in the border forests, allegedly planning violent activities. Multiple teams of the elite C-60 unit were deployed in the rugged terrain near Phodewada village under the supervision of the Bhamragad Sub-Divisional Police Officer.
On Wednesday, Maoists opened fire on police teams during a search operation, leading to retaliatory firing in self-defence. Two Maoist camps were destroyed during the day, and a large quantity of supplies and documents were recovered. However, thick forest cover and difficult terrain allowed the Maoists to evade immediate capture, officers said.
As exchanges of fire continued intermittently, additional C-60 units and a Central Armed Police Force (CRPF) Quick Action Team were brought in to reinforce the cordon. On Thursday, security forces recovered the bodies of three Maoists along with weapons, including an AK-47 and an SLR rifle. The operation continued into the following day, when four more bodies were recovered from different locations in the forest.
Police said those killed included senior cadres carrying a cumulative cash reward of Rs 71 lakh. Several of the Maoists were wanted in multiple cases related to murder, arson and attacks on security forces, though verification of all identities is still underway.
Apart from firearms, police recovered ammunition, explosives, Maoist literature, magazines and other materials during the operation. Officers said the seizure indicates the group was well-equipped and capable of launching major attacks.
Gadchiroli encounter: Another commando undergoing treatment, say police
A C-60 commando who sustained a bullet injury during heavy firing was airlifted from the forest but later succumbed to his injuries. Another commando was injured and is undergoing treatment.
Police said anti-Maoist operations in the region would continue, adding that further details would be shared at a briefing.
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