2 Top Maoist Leaders Killed In Encounter In Chhattisgarh, Carried Rs 80 Lakh Bounty

Two Elite Maoist Leaders, Carrying Rs 80 Lakh Bounty, Neutralized in Chhattisgarh Encounter

A total of 249 Maoists have been eliminated in various encounters across Chhattisgarh during this year. (File)

Narayanpur:

Security forces in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district neutralized two high-ranking Maoist leaders on Monday, each carrying a bounty of Rs 40 lakh, police officials confirmed.

The deceased have been identified as Katta Ramachandra Reddy (63), known as Raju Dada, and Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy (67), known as Kosa Dada. Both were Central Committee members of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoists).

Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the operation, describing it as a "major victory" for security forces.

Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai characterized the encounter as a "decisive achievement in Chhattisgarh's fight against Maoism."

The confrontation erupted Monday morning in Abhujmaad forest along the Maharashtra border during a security operation based on intelligence about senior Maoist cadres in the area, according to Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria.

After several hours of intermittent gunfire, forces recovered the bodies of two male insurgents from the encounter site.

Security personnel seized an AK-47 rifle, an INSAS rifle, a barrel grenade launcher (BGL), substantial explosives, Maoist literature, and various everyday items from the location.

Both Raju Dada and Kosa Dada were Telangana natives from Karimnagar who had operated within the 'Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee' for over three decades, orchestrating numerous violent incidents in Bastar that claimed security personnel and civilian lives.

"Raju Dada was also known as Gudsa Usendi, Vijay, and Vikalp, while Kosa Dada went by aliases including Gopanna and Buchanna. Each carried a Rs 40 lakh bounty in Chhattisgarh," Guria stated.

Authorities are gathering additional information regarding their criminal records and rewards announced by other states and agencies.

In a social media post on X, Union Home Minister Amit Shah wrote, "Today, our security forces have achieved another major victory against the Maoists. In the Abujhmad region of Narayanpur along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, our forces eliminated two Central Committee Member Maoist leaders - Katta Ramchandra Reddy and Kadri Satyanarayan." Shah has previously declared that Maoism will be eradicated from India by March 31 next year.

Chief Minister Sai released a statement calling the successful operation not just a decisive step toward ending Maoism but also a catalyst for peace, security, and development in Chhattisgarh.

He commended the courage and dedication of the security personnel involved, attributing the state's swift progress toward peace to their bravery.

"Under Prime Minister Narendra Modi's vision and Union Home Minister Amit Shah's leadership, the end of Maoism now appears closer than ever before. The resolve to achieve a Maoist-free India will surely be realized by March 2026," Sai affirmed.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P stated that decisive operations against the outlawed organization have dealt a significant blow to the Maoist movement.

Despite challenging terrain and adverse weather conditions, police and security forces in Bastar remain committed to their mission, working in alignment with both central and state government directives and the aspirations of Bastar residents, he added.

The IG urged remaining insurgents to abandon violence, rejoin mainstream society, and benefit from the government's surrender and rehabilitation policy.

With this latest operation, the total number of Maoists killed in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh this year has reached 249.

Of these, 220 were eliminated in the seven-district Bastar division, 27 in Gariaband district within Raipur division, and two in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in Durg division.

The most significant elimination was that of Nambala Keshav Rao, also known as Basavaraju (70), general secretary and top operative of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), along with five Central Committee members.

Additionally, two Central Committee members have been neutralized in Jharkhand and one in Andhra Pradesh this year, according to police reports.

Chhattisgarh police indicate that only nine Central Committee members remain in the banned organization, including notorious Maoist commander Madvi Hidma.

On September 11, security forces eliminated ten Maoists, including Central Committee Member Modem Balakrishna, during an encounter in Gariaband district.