Raipur/Ranchi, July 27: Seven Maoists were killed on Saturday in two separate encounters with security forces in the Indian states of Chhattisgarh and Jharkhand, police officials said.
Four Maoist insurgents were shot dead in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, around 400 km south of state capital Raipur, during an ongoing anti-Maoist operation in the Bastar region, a known stronghold of left-wing extremism.
“Based on intelligence inputs, troops launched a search operation in the evening. So far, four bodies of Maoists have been recovered… Intermittent exchange of fire continues, and troops are advancing cautiously,” said P. Sundarraj, Inspector General of Police (IGP), Bastar Range.
Security personnel recovered INSAS and SLR rifles, explosive materials, and other supplies from the scene. Authorities said full details were being withheld due to safety concerns and the continued nature of the operation.
Bijapur is one of the seven most Maoist-affected districts in Chhattisgarh. According to police data, at least 425 Maoists have been killed in the Bastar zone over the past 18 months.
In a separate incident the same day, three armed operatives of the Jharkhand Jan Mukti Parishad (JJMP) – a banned Maoist splinter group – were killed in a gunfight with security forces in Gumla district, Jharkhand.
The encounter occurred in Lawadag forest under the jurisdiction of Ghaghra police station around 10 a.m., following a tip-off that the group was planning an attack.
“The ultras opened fire as soon as security forces reached the spot. Jawans fired in retaliation, killing three JJMP ultras. Two others escaped,” said Haris Bin Zaman, Superintendent of Police, Gumla.
Police recovered one AK-47, two INSAS rifles, and a country-made firearm from the site. One of the deceased was identified as Dilip Lohra (32), a resident of Belagada village in Gumla.
The operation was carried out jointly by the elite Jharkhand Jaguar unit and local police. A search operation was underway to locate the remaining members of the group, authorities said.
India has battled Maoist insurgency – also known as Left-Wing Extremism – for decades in parts of central and eastern India. The movement, which claims to champion the rights of rural and tribal populations, has declined in strength in recent years following sustained security operations.
