Bijapur, Sep 20: Two hardcore Maoists were gunned down during a gunfight with security forces at Mankeli forest region of south-west Bijapur district.

The deceased have been identified as Sukru Hemla, a member of the Padnam Party Committee, and Raghu Hapka, a militant associated with the Gangalur Military Area Committee. Both were high-profile operatives and had bounties on their heads—Rs 5 lakh for Raghu and Rs 2 lakh for Sukru.

Acting on reliable inputs regarding the presence of Maoists in the forest area, security personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and CRPF’s 202 and 205 Battalions launched a coordinated operation. During this, the red rebels opened fire on the security personnel. In retaliation, the security forces gunned down Raghu and Sukru.

While the bodies have been recovered from the spot, a 303 rifle, a barrel grenade launcher (BGL), and various Maoist materials were also seized from the site.

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Both the Maoists were involved in multiple violent incidents including the June 17 killing of a student and three villagers in Peddakorma, the August 29 murder of a villager in Mankeli, the August 30 assassination of a school teacher in the Gangalur police jurisdiction.

This operation marks a continued effort by security forces to dismantle Maoist strongholds in the region.