Major Success in Anti-Naxal Operation “Maad Bachao” in Narayanpur

 

In a significant victory for security forces, the joint anti-Naxal operation "Maad Bachao" achieved a major breakthrough in the dense forests of Paradi in Narayanpur district's Abujhmad area.

 

The encounter, which lasted for several hours, resulted in the neutralisation of three senior Maoist terrorists, delivering a critical blow to the Maoist presence in the region.

 

Among the dead were prominent Maoist leaders Rupesh, a DKSZC member with a bounty of ₹25 lakh, Jagdish, a DVCM with a bounty of ₹16 lakh, and Sarita, alias Basanti, a PPCM and female Maoist commander with an ₹8 lakh bounty.

 

All three were part of the Maoist stronghold in Company No. 10 of the PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army).

 

 

The operation was part of a 124-hour-long anti-Naxal campaign jointly led by elite forces from Narayanpur, Kondagaon, and Dantewada districts, involving the DRG, STF, and BSF (11th, 133rd, and 135th battalions).

 

The teams were dispatched on September 22, 2024, following intelligence reports about the presence of high-ranking Maoist terrorists in the Paradi jungle, near the Maharashtra border.

 

The confrontation began on September 23, around 4 PM, when Maoists, positioned in the thick forest, launched a surprise attack on the security forces, firing indiscriminately with the intent to kill and loot weapons.

 

In response, the forces, having taken immediate defensive positions, called for the Maoists to surrender. However, the insurgents continued their heavy firing, leading the security personnel to retaliate.

 

The fierce gun battle continued for several hours, during which the Maoists, realising they were outmanoeuvred, attempted to escape into the deeper forests.

 

After the firing subsided, a search of the area revealed the bodies of three armed Maoists, along with a significant cache of weapons and ammunition.

 

 

The operation led to the recovery of an impressive arsenal, which included:

 

Bloodstains at the site suggested that several other Maoists were likely injured or killed during the operation, although they managed to flee the scene.

 

 

The Maoists killed in the encounter included key figures in the Maoist leadership:

 

Rupesh (alias Kolu, alias Shamba Gosai Mandavi): DKSZC member, in charge of Company No. 10, with 66 criminal cases against him and a ₹25 lakh bounty. He was notorious for his involvement in the 2009 Madanwada encounter, where 29 security personnel, including SP Vinod Chaubey, were killed.

 

Jagdish (alias Ramesh, alias Sukhlal Tekam): DVCM, with 43 criminal cases in Gadchiroli, Maharashtra, and a ₹16 lakh bounty.

 

Sarita (alias Basanti): PPCM of Company No. 10, with an ₹8 lakh bounty.

 

 

This operation marks a turning point in the ongoing efforts to rid the Abujhmad region of Maoist influence.

 

According to Narayanpur SP Prabhat Kumar, the operation's primary objective is to free the indigenous population from Maoist ideology and violence.

 

The hope is to restore peace and development in the region, encouraging Maoist sympathisers to surrender under the government’s rehabilitation policy.

 

The operation has instilled fear among the remaining Maoists, with reports of internal blame and disarray among the terrorists.

 

According to Kanker DIG K.L. Dhruv, this encounter has shaken the Maoists' confidence, as they had considered the Maad division their stronghold.

 

 

The success of this operation is a testament to the bravery and resilience of the security forces, who have overcome harsh terrain and adverse weather to strike a major blow against the Maoists.