Raipur, June 11: In a significant development in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district, security forces engaged in an intense encounter with Maoist insurgents on Wednesday, resulting in the elimination of two Naxal cadres, including a high-ranking commander.

The operation took place in the Pusgunna forest area under the jurisdiction of Kukanar Police Station, a region known for frequent Maoist activity. Among the slain insurgents was Baman, the LOSC (Local Organisation Squad Commander) of Pedaras, who had a Rs 5 lakh bounty on his head. The second casualty was a female Maoist, whose identity remains unconfirmed.

Security personnel recovered their bodies along with a cache of weapons, including an INSAS rifle, a 12-bore rifle, ammunition, and explosive materials.

The encounter unfolded as part of an ongoing anti-Naxal operation led by a joint team of Kukanar Police Station personnel and the Sukma District Reserve Guard. Acting on credible intelligence, the forces launched a search mission early Wednesday morning, targeting Maoist cadres affiliated with the banned CPI Maoist outfit. Around two in the afternoon, the operation escalated into a fierce gun battle, with multiple exchanges of fire between the security forces and insurgents.

Following the successful operation, additional reinforcements were deployed to intensify search efforts in the dense forest terrain, aiming to track down any Maoists who may have fled. The rugged landscape often provides insurgents with strategic cover, making pursuit operations difficult. This encounter comes amid heightened security measures in Sukma following recent improvised explosive device blasts orchestrated by Maoists in the region.

Just days earlier, Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Giripunje lost his life in a pressure IED explosion near Dondra village on the Konta-Errabora road. The attack, suspected to be part of a broader Maoist retaliation, has prompted security forces to ramp up counterinsurgency efforts.

Authorities remain vigilant, with Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan confirming that operations will continue to dismantle Maoist strongholds in the area. The latest encounter underscores the persistent challenge posed by insurgents in Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, where security forces remain engaged in a long battle to restore stability.

--IANS

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