19 Maoists Arrested in Major Sukma Crackdown Success

 

In a coordinated operation, Sukma district police, CRPF units, and CoBRA forces have arrested 19 individuals identified as Maoist operatives, marking a considerable breakthrough in anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh’s restive Bijapur and Jagargunda areas.

 

This sweep targeted insurgents involved in various heinous activities, including the killing of civilians and police personnel. Notably, three of the arrested suspects from Jagargunda had Rs. 1 lakh bounties on their heads, underscoring their high-value status within the Maoist hierarchy.

 

The extensive operation was launched based on intelligence reports indicating the presence of Maoist cadres in the dense forest regions near the villages of Bhundarpadar and Gompad in the Bejjji and Jagargunda areas.

 

During a search operation on October 27, 2024, a joint force led by Sukma’s police, CRPF's 219th and 150th battalions, and CoBRA’s 201st battalion converged on the suspected hideouts.

 

Five Maoists were apprehended while attempting to evade capture; subsequent questioning revealed their involvement in several notorious incidents, including the murders of two civilians earlier this year in Bhundarpadar village.

 

The five detainees — identified as Vanjam Ayta, Podiyam Kosa, Sodi Ayta, Sodi Hadma, and Podiyam Pozja, all active members of the Maoist group — confessed to executing brutal crimes under the banner of Naxalism over the past decade. Their criminal records reveal previous warrants, including warrants for their roles in the murders of two police officers in 2022.

 

Meanwhile, in a parallel operation near Tumalpad, the police detained 14 more insurgents, discovering explosive materials including 300 grams of gunpowder, detonators, and IED components.

 

According to officials, the suspects were reportedly on an assignment from senior Maoist leaders to disrupt the activities of security forces by planting IEDs along patrol routes. The suspects, including Maoist Commander Barsay Hadma, who carried a Rs. 1 lakh reward, and other militia members, were apprehended following intense questioning.

 

The crackdown, spearheaded by senior police officials including IG Bastar Range Sundarraj P., DIG Kamalochan Kashyap, DIG (Operations) CRPF Surajpal Verma, and Sukma SP Kiran Chavan, is part of an ongoing anti-Naxal initiative aimed at dismantling insurgent structures in Sukma and neighbouring districts.

 

According to Sukma Police, targeted operations will continue in the area to root out remaining elements and restore peace to these conflict-ridden regions.