At least six Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces on Chhattisgarh-Telangana border area on Monday, December 27, morning. The skirmish took place between 6 am and 7 am in a forest in Kistaram area of Chhattisgarh's Sukma district, located over 400 km from the state capital Raipur.
Six ultras, including four women, were killed in the gunbattle with the special anti-Naxal Greyhounds unit of the Telangana Police, a senior police official posted in Bastar said. A joint team of the District Reserve Guard and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) from Sukma was also out on the operation in the area as auxiliary support to the Greyhounds team, he said.
Speaking to TNM, Bhadradri Kothagudem Superintendent of Police (SP) Sunil Dutt said, "A group of Maoists were found near Pesanpadu forests in Sukma district of south Bastar. The police teams were trying to neutralise them and they have opened fire. This led to an exchange of fire around 6.30 am to 7 am.” He added that they received a tip-off that Maoists were trying to attack the security forces and combing was stepped up in the area. “The police teams are still conducting combing operations,” he added.
Sukma Superintendent of Police Sunil Sharma claimed security forces inflicted a heavy blow to the Kistaram area committee of Maoists, which had been instrumental in carrying out various deadly attacks in the past. There are total five area committees of Maoists operating in Sukma. In the last six months, security forces have been successful in effectively controlling the activities of the Kerlapal and Konta area committees, Sharma told PTI.
Top cadres from the Kerlapal area committee surrendered in the last one year while in August this year, a local organisation squad (LOS) commander and his deputy from the Konta area committee were killed in an encounter with the Sukma police, he said.
"Now that the Kistaram area committee has been significantly decimated, the next target will be to neutralise two other committees - Katekalyan and Jagargunda," he added.