Security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur gunned down a Naxalite in an encounter on Tuesday. The said Naxalite was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, a senior police official said. The Inspector General (IG) of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI that the confrontation took place at around 6 am this morning near Bandepara village which comes under the jurisdiction of Madded Police Station. He added that the Personnel of the District Reserve Guard, Bastar Fighters, and a Special Task Force (all three state police units) took part in the operation alongside the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF) 170th battalion.
IG Sundarraj said that the security forces had received intelligence regarding the presence of some senior Naxalites including the Madded area committee in-charge Nagesh Padam, its committee secretary Buchanna, member Vishwanath, and some 15-20 armed cadres in Koranjed-Bandepara forests.
The police official said that after the stopping of the exchange of fire, the body of Nagesh Padam was recovered from the spot. He added that 108 warrants were pending against Padam who was a divisional committee member-rank Naxalite. The IG further said that he was carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.
Police recovered an AK-47 rifle with three magazines and 64 rounds, explosives, medicines, Maoist banners, and posters from the encounter site, reported PTI.
Bijapur is among the 20 assembly constituencies that are set to go to polls in the first phase of Chhattisgarh elections on November 7.
Earlier this month, Union Home Minister Amit Shah on October 6 stated that Left Wing Extremism (LWE) and Naxalism will be eliminated in the next two years. The Home Minister reviewed the security situation in the Naxal-affected states where violent incidents have reduced by around 77 per cent in 2022 when compared to the data of 2010.
The review meeting was attended by the Chief Ministers of Maharashtra, Andhra Pradesh and Jharkhand. Odisha, Bihar, Madhya Pradesh, and Chhattisgarh on the other hand were represented by state ministers, reported PTI.