Six Maoists were killed in an encounter with police in the Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana on Wednesday. The encounter, which took place in a forested area of the district, also left two security personnel injured, one of whom is in critical condition and undergoing treatment.
According to Rohit Raj, the District Superintendent of Police for Bhadradri Kothagudem, the encounter broke out early this morning. "Six Maoists were killed, and two security personnel were injured in the exchange of fire," he confirmed. Further details regarding the operation are awaited as the situation develops.
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Among the injured is a constable from the elite anti-Maoist Greyhounds force, who was immediately transported to a nearby hospital for urgent medical care.
The police revealed that the Maoists involved in the encounter were part of the Manuguru area committee, led by secretary Lacchanna. This group had reportedly migrated from Chhattisgarh and had been operating in the area for some time.
This incident follows a separate encounter on Tuesday in Dantewada district, Chhattisgarh, where nine Maoists were killed by security forces. Among those killed was top Maoist leader Macherla Esobu, also known by the several aliases including Jagan, Dada Randev, and Randhir. Esobu, a native of Tekulagudem in Kazipet mandal of Hanamkonda district, Telangana, was a prominent figure in the Maoist movement and had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head, as reported by The New Indian Express.
The back-to-back encounters highlight the ongoing efforts by security forces to tackle Maoist insurgency in the region.