INSUBCONTINENT EXCLUSIVE:
Bodies of 39 Maoists have been found in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli after Sunday's encounterMumbai:
With the
recovery of two more bodies from the Indravati river on Wednesday, the number of Maoists killed in two encounters in Maharashtra's
Gadchiroli since Sunday has gone up to 39.The anti-Maoist operation, Maharashtra's most successful, was planned by C-60 commandos of the
Gadchiroli police based on specific intelligence about a meeting of top dalams or Maoist squads at a place where Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh
and Telangana share a forested border.The police had information that Maoists belonging to three squads --- Perimili, Aheri and Sironcha ---
were scheduled to meet but the police were not aware of the exact location
Patrol parties were sent to gather intelligence but there wasn't enough to launch a full-fledged operation
Then came a specific input --- breakfast had been arranged for 50-60 people at a particular place.With the venue being secluded from nearby
villages surrounded by the waters of the Indravati river, a decision was taken to engage immediately and commandos arrived.The operation
began a little after 10 in the morning and continued till 1.30 pm in the dense Kasansur forest
After a four-hour gun battle, the police accounted for 16 Maoists killed but they believed they had shot an unknown number as the insurgents
tried to escape across the river into Chhattisgarh
Fifteen more bodies were recovered from the Indravati river on Tuesday.The police used an under barrel grenade launcher
These are single shot launchers used with assault rifles for destroying targets in an open area, in trenches and reverse slopes
When they hit the target, Maoists fired in desperation."For self-protection, police had to resort to firing
The firing continued for some time after which there was silence and the police party started a search operation
We found 16 bodies of Maoists, of which nine were males and the rest females," Sharad Shelar, Inspector General (Anti-Naxal Operations) told
reporters.After the encounter, search had to be stopped due to heavy rain and bad weather but the commandos knew the operation was a success
It was this demonstration of will-power to go on that led to the recovery of 15 more bodies from the Indravati river on Tuesday."The
operation was meticulously planned and executed and that is why it was successful," said D Kanakaratnam, Additional Director General of
Police.On Monday, in another encounter 60 kilometres from Sunday's ambush site, six Maoists were killed.A high-ranking commander of the
Aheri squad, identified as Nandu, was among those killed
One of the two 17-year-old girls killed was a top leader of the group.According to the police, Sainath alias Dolesh Madhi Atram, 32, carried
a cash reward of Rs 16 lakh on him
Rajesh alias Dama Naruti from Murgaon in Gadchiroli had a cash reward of Rs 4 lakh on his head
Nagesh alias Dulsa Narote, 32, belonged to Jharewada in Gadchiroli district
He was also a member of the Perimili squad
Police officials claim that the Aheri and Sironcha squads have been totally wiped out in this operation.Search operations are still on as
the police believe that Maoists who were injured in the encounter may have slipped into Chhattisgarh
All hideouts in the forested area have been put on surveillance.
