10 Maoists, jawan killed in encounter

HYDERABAD: In a massive blow to the Maoist network, which is already tottering in Telangana, 10 guerrillas armed with AK-47s and rocket bombs were gunned down on the Chhattisgarh side of the border on Friday in a joint operation led by Telangana Greyhounds.
Of the 10 Maoists killed, six were women, reports U Sudhakarreddy. Susheel Kumar, a commando with the elite anti-Naxal force was killed in the exchange of fire. Till late evening, only two of the slain Maoists were identified.

Though human rights activists told Hyderabad high court that top Maoist and Telangana state committee secretary Haribhushan alias Vepa Narayana was among the dead, police said identity of only two bodies had been confirmed and Haribhushan was not among them.

Speaking to TOI, Bhadradri-Kothagudem district superintendent of police Amber Kishore Jha said, “After specific inputs on movements of CPI Maoists in a large formation on Telangana-Chattisgarh border, police of both states launched a joint operation. Around 6 am on Friday, while police parties were combing Pujarkanker forests in Bijapur district in Chhattisgarh, they sighted a Maoist camp.

The guerrillas immediately opened fire and we retaliated in self-defence.” Since AK-47 rifles were found at the encounter site, police suspect at least one top leader could be among the dead or fled the scene during the encounter. “One among the key Maoist trio of Harisbhushan, Damodar alias Bade Chokka Rao or Badur may have been armed with AK 47s,” said an official.

There are different versions on number of Naxalites who had gathered at the camp. While Kothagudem police claim there were more than 100, intelligence personnel said the number could be around 30 to 50. The encounter site is 8km from Telangana border.

Two bodies shifted to the Badhrachalam government hospital for autopsy were identified as Pedda Budri alias Renuka and Sanjeev, both natives of Chhattisgarh and Dalam member cadres of Maoists.

The autopsy will be conducted as per National Human Rights Commission guidelines with videography and a doctor team. “Identification of all slain Maoists is yet to be done. Usually, we use past photographs, take help of surrendered militants and identity cards or literature found at the scene or talk to family to identify them,” said an official.

Kotthagudem SP Jha said, “Recently, there has been a spurt in murders, attempts to murder and arson by Maoists in the border area and so we launched a combing operation.” Police are analyzing rocket bombers found at the scene. “They improvised on certain weapons like rocket launchers. They also use arrow bombs with explosives at the tip and when it hits the target, it explodes due to friction,” said a police official.