2 Maoists Killed in Encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur

Raipur: Two senior Maoist cadres were killed in an encounter with security forces in Bijapur district of Bastar in southern Chhattisgarh on Thursday morning, police said.

According to Bijapur superintendent of police Dr Jitendra Kumar Yadav, the exchange of fire took place under Jangal police station limits in Jaigur-Dodum forest district.

Acting on specific intelligence inputs regarding the presence of senior Maoist cadres of Bhairamgarh district committee, security forces launched a search operation in the area. “An encounter took place between them around six in the morning. Security forces later recovered weapons, including automatic weapons and ammunition, along with bodies of two Maoists in uniform from the encounter site,” the SP said.

The deceased have been identified as Hichami Madda (35) and Manki Podiyam (30), both Bhairamgarh district committee members. Each of them carried a reward of 5 lakh rupees, police said.

Weapons and ammunition seized at the scene included an SLR, an INSAS rifle, a 12-gauge rifle, four grenades, detonators and other items.

This development comes two days after CPI (Maoist) leader Devji alias Thippri Tirupati and three other cadres surrendered in Telangana.

Bastar Range Inspector General of Police P. Sunderraj appealed to the remaining Maoist cadres to surrender and join the mainstream.