Maharashtra: 2 Naxals Gunned Down By Gadchiroli Police In Fierce Encounter

Maharashtra: Two Naxals were killed in a one-hour gun battle with the police on Thursday afternoon near Gadchiroli. An AK 47 and SLR have been seized by the police. One of the accused was involved in the 2019 attack on the police party in Gadchiroli in which 15 police personnel were martyred.

According to Superintendent of Police, Gadchiroli, Neelotpal, a credible intelligence was received on Thursday that a large contingent of Naxals was camping on Chattisgarh border near Bodhintola some ten kilometers from last outpost Godalwahi near Mohalla Manpur district of Chhattisgarh with an intention to cause sabotage and ambush on the police forces and to kill innocent tribals branding them as police informers.

Some Naxals involved in firing fled from the spot: Police

“After the receipt of information four C-60 commando squad and one CRPF squad were dispatched to the location immediately to do a search operation in the area. While police parties were searching the area, around 3 pm they were fired upon indiscriminately by the Naxals which was retaliated by police forces. An exchange of fire went on for almost an hour. Some of the Naxals involved in the firing had fled from the spot,” said a police officer.

“Searching of the area had led to recovery of two male Naxal bodies carrying an AK47 and a SLR weapon respectively. One of them who was found with an AK47 rifle had been identified as Durgesh Watti, Deputy Commander of Kasansur Dalam who was one of the main conspirators of Jambulkheda blast in which 15 Police personnel of Gadchiroli Police were martyred in 2019. The police were on the lookout for him for a long time. Further operations and search of the area is continuing,” said SP Neelotpal.

In August this year, the Gadchiroli police in a joint operation with Chhattisgarh police had engaged in an exchange of gunfire with Naxals near the Gadchiroli-Bijapur Border. After heavy exchange of fire between police parties and Naxals, during the search of the area carried out subsequently, large amount of Naxal literature, 4 pithu bags, one mobile phone, tarpaulin sheets, utensils and other items etc have been seized by the joint team.

In May this year, three Naxals having a total Rs36 lakh bounty on their heads were gunned down by police in the jungle area of Gadchiroli. Those killed were identified as Bitlu Madavi, and Shrikant alias Podya Uike and Vasu. Shrikant and Vasu, both were residents of Bastar and Bitlu was a resident of Visamundi, Gadchiroli.