Bhopal:

In a major success for security forces, a high-ranking commander was among 17 Maoists killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district on Saturday. The Maoist commander who was killed is Jagdish alias Budhra, who carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh and was a key accused in a 2013 attack in Chhattisgarh in which at least 25 people, including the state Congress chief and other party leaders, were killed.

Police officials said the encounter took place in the morning after security forces launched an operation based on intelligence inputs about Maoist presence in the Kerlapal area of Sukma district. A joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) engaged in a fierce gun battle with the Maoists.

Officials said 17 bodies of Maoists have been recovered so far. “Two DRG personnel also sustained injuries but their condition is stable and they are out of danger,” said an official.

Security forces have seized a large cache of weapons from the encounter site, including AK-47 rifles, self-loading rifles, INSAS and .303 rifles, rocket launchers, BGL launchers, and explosives. The identification process of the killed Maoists is underway.

On Radar For Years

Maoist commander Jagdish aka Budhra, who was also killed in the attack, was in charge of the Darbha division. He was a key accused in the deadly 2013 Jhiram Valley attack by Maoists, which resulted in the deaths of at least 25 security personnel and Congress leaders, including the party’s then Chhattisgarh chief Nand Kumar Patel. Jagdish was also allegedly involved in the 2023 attack in Chhattisgarh’s Aranpur, in which several DRG jawans lost their lives.

Officials said Jagdish had been on the radar of security agencies for years and his elimination marks a significant victory in the fight against Maoists in the region.

Ramping Up Ops

Saturday’s encounter was part of an intensified crackdown on Maoist insurgents across the Bastar range. On Tuesday, security forces had killed three Naxalites, including Sudhir alias Sudhakar, another senior Maoist leader with a bounty of Rs 25 lakh.

In the past ten days, starting March 20, security forces have eliminated 49 Naxals in a series of operations.

Officials said more Maoists are suspected to have been killed or injured during Saturday’s encounter. Search and combing operations are still underway in the surrounding forest areas to track down any remaining Maoists.