Six High-Profile Maoists with Rs 27 Lakh Bounty Eliminated in Chhattisgarh Security Operation

Security forces have neutralized 144 Maoists in various confrontations this year alone.

BIJAPUR:

Police officials confirmed on Thursday that among the six Naxalites eliminated in a November 11 encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district were high-profile Maoist leaders Urmila, spouse of senior operative Papa Rao, and Buchanna Kudiyam.

During a press conference, Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Yadav revealed that the deceased militants, who were killed in forested areas of Kandulnar and Kachlaram villages within the remote Indravati national park region, collectively had bounties totaling Rs 27 lakh on their heads.

Buchanna, also known as Kanna (35), had orchestrated numerous significant Naxal assaults against security personnel, civilians, and development initiatives over the past ten years. Meanwhile, Urmila served as the primary coordinator for logistical provisions to the PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) battalion of the Maoist organization.

The operation involved personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Bijapur and Dantewada as well as the Special Task Force (STF), both state police units. It was initiated based on intelligence regarding the presence of Maoist leaders, including Special Zonal Committee Member (SZCM) Papa Rao, his wife and Divisional Committee Member (DVCM) Urmila, DVCM and Madded area committee head Kanna alias Buchanna, and DVCM Mohan Kadti, along with 50-60 cadres, according to Yadav.

"While Urmila, Buchanna and four other cadres were neutralised in the gunfight, other senior leaders managed to escape. Four others have been identified as Area Committee Member Jagat Tamo alias Tamo, who carried a reward of Rs 5 lakh, and platoon members Deve, Bhagat and Mangli Oyam, carrying rewards of Rs 2 lakh each," the SP explained.

"Buchanna, who had a Rs 8 lakh bounty, was regarded as one of the most feared Maoist leaders operating in south Bastar. He was instrumental in planning and executing major Naxal attacks over the past decade, targeting security forces, civilians, and development projects. A total of 42 criminal cases were registered against him across different police stations in Bijapur district, with 18 arrest warrants outstanding," Yadav stated.

Buchanna was pivotal in the July 2008 Kongupalli police post assault and January 2016 Nuknarpal camp attack, initiating IED explosions that were thwarted by timely police intervention, he added.

"He was reportedly responsible for the murder of more than 20 villagers accused of being police informants, triggering six IED explosions, and destroying vehicles and mobile towers. His elimination marks the conclusion of a prolonged and violent chapter of Maoist terror in the region," Yadav emphasized.

Evidence collected from the encounter location, including documents and electronic devices, suggests Buchanna maintained connections with an urban support network of Maoists, and these links are under investigation, the SP further noted.

"Urmila, who had an Rs 8 lakh reward, was secretary of the Pamed Area Committee, considered one of the most violent Maoist units in the region. She was a key operative responsible for recruitment, ideological propaganda, and mobilising local support for the outlawed organisation," he said.

She also managed logistical supplies for the PLGA battalion, overseeing the delivery of rations, uniforms, medicines, and other essential materials, he explained.

Her elimination has inflicted a significant blow to the Maoist organization by weakening both the Pamed Area Committee's operational capabilities and the PLGA's supply chain network, Yadav added.

Authorities recovered two INSAS rifles with five magazines (68 rounds), one 9mm carbine with three magazines (22 rounds), one .303 rifle with one magazine (13 rounds), one single-shot rifle, one 12-bore gun (8 rounds), radio sets, scanners, multimeters, hand grenades, safety fuses, explosive material, Maoist literature, uniforms, medical supplies, and other items from the encounter site, according to the SP.

This year, 144 Maoists have been killed in separate confrontations, 499 cadres arrested, and 560 have surrendered in Bijapur district, he reported.

Bastar Range Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P stated that in the past 20 months, authorities have recovered the bodies of 447 Maoist cadres, including numerous Central Committee Members, DKSZC Members, and PLGA personnel, across the seven districts comprising the Bastar division.

"Our objective is clear: a peaceful and Naxal-free Bastar. In the current situation, the Maoist organization is completely cornered and has no alternative but to abandon violence and rejoin mainstream society," the IG concluded.