Two top Maoist leaders killed in major op on Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border

Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday hailed a major breakthrough in the ongoing fight against Naxalism announcing that two senior Maoist leaders were neutralised in a joint operation by security forces along the MaharashtraChhattisgarh borderThe encounter took place in the dense forests of the Abujhmad region of Narayanpur district where two Central Committee members of the banned CPI Maoist Katta Ramachandra Reddy and Kadri Satyanarayan Reddy were killed reported news agency PTIldquoOur security forces are systematically dismantling the top leadership of the Naxals breaking the backbone of red terrorrdquo Shah posted on X formerly Twitter praising the forces for their continued successAccording to a senior Chhattisgarh Police officer the operation began early on Monday based on intelligence inputs about the Maoist movement in the area A gun battle broke out when the forces reached the suspected hideoutldquoTwo male Maoists were killed and their bodies recovered from the spot the officer saidSecurity forces recovered an AK47 rifle an INSAS rifle a barrel grenade launcher BGL a large cache of explosives Maoist literature and other materials from the siteBoth commanders were natives of Karimnagar Telangana and had been active for over three decades allegedly masterminding numerous deadly attacks on security forces and civilians in Bastar Each carried a reward of Rs 40 lakh on their heads in ChhattisgarhldquoThese killings mark a significant blow to the Maoist leadershiprdquo said IG Bastar Range Sundarraj P noting that police remain committed to counterinsurgency efforts despite challenging terrain and weather He urged remaining militants to surrender and take advantage of the governmentrsquos rehabilitation policy reported PTIWith this operation the number of Naxals killed in Chhattisgarh this year has risen to 249 220 in Bastar 27 in Gariaband and two in Durg division On September 11 10 Naxals including Central Committee member Modem Balakrishna were killed in a major encounter in GariabandChhattisgarh 12 Naxals carrying Rs 18 lakh bounty surrenderEarlier on September 18 twelve Naxals including five women carrying a total bounty of Rs 18 lakhs surrendered before the police in Chhattisgarhs Narayanpur district 12 Naxals carrying a total bounty of Rs 18 lakhs have surrendered today The 12 Naxals include five women and seven men Two of them were ECMs in their naxal outfit in Indravati and East Bastar areas Narayanpur Superintendent of Police Robinson Guria toldThe SP stated that under the surrender policy the surrendered Naxals are given Rs 50000 each and their identification documents are made so that they get the benefits of government schemes According to Narayanpur SP Guria one of the surrendered Naxals belonged to Platoon 16 whose commander was neutralised in the last operation The SP stated that the Naxals surrendered due to the governments surrender policy and increasing pressure from ongoing antiNaxal operationsWith inputs from PTI