Fifteen Killed in Clash Between Security Forces and Maoists in India

Fifteen people, including three police officers, have been killed in a clash between security forces and Maoist insurgents in India’s Chhattisgarh state.

The confrontation occurred on Wednesday (3 December) during a security operation in a forested area based on intelligence reports, according to Indian broadcaster NDTV, citing police sources.

Sundarraj Patilllingam, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range), stated on Wednesday that personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Dantewada and Bijapur, the State Special Task Force, and the CoBRA unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) joined the operation.

Authorities launched a search operation after receiving reports of movements by the banned CPI (Maoist)’s armed wing, the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA). From the site of the clash, security forces recovered the bodies of 12 Maoists, along with self-loading rifles (SLR), INSAS rifles, other firearms, and a large quantity of explosives, the IGP confirmed.

This incident brings the number of people killed in clashes between security forces and Maoists in Chhattisgarh this year to 275. Among the dead are several high-ranking Maoist leaders, including General Secretary Nambala Keshav Rao (also known as Basavaraju or Gaganna), Politburo member Ramchandra Reddy (known as Chalapathi), his wife Ravi Venkata Lakshmi Chaitanya (known as Aruna), Central Committee member Narsinghachalam (also called Sudhakar), and PLGA commander Madhavi Hidma.

Despite the Maoists’ earlier announcement to suspend their decades-long armed insurgency, security operations continue. The central government in Delhi has launched a comprehensive mission to eradicate Maoist rebellion by March next year.

Source: NDTV

Khaborwala/SS