Twelve of the 16 Maoists killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district have been identified as dreaded ultras carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 3.13 crore, including a central committee member of the outlawed movement, a police official said on Thursday.
Prime among them was Chalpathi alias Jairam, a member of the central committee and Odisha state committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), who had a collective bounty of Rs 90 lakh on his head in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, he said.
It was the first time someone from the central committee, the main governing body of the proscribed outfit, has been eliminated in an encounter in Chhattisgarh, the official added.
As many as 16 Maoists, including six women, were killed in an encounter with security personnel in a forest under Mainpur police station limits (Gariaband) along Chhattisgarh-Odisha border.
The three-day operation involving personnel belonging to E-30 (a Gariaband district police unit), Central Reserve Police Force, its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) and Odisha police's Special Operation Group concluded on Wednesday.
"Of the killed cadres, 12 have been identified. These 12 cadres carried a cumulative reward of Rs 3.13 crore in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. Chalpathi, also known as Ramchandran, Pratap Reddy, Appa Rao and Ravi, was a resident of Chittoor district in Andhra Pradesh. He carried a reward of Rs 40 lakh, Rs 25 lakh and Rs 25 lakh in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh, respectively," said inspector General of Police (Raipur Range) Amresh Mishra.
Two other key cadres were identified as Jairam alias Guddu (50), member of Odisha state committee and secretary of Dhamtari-Gariaband-Nuapada (DGN) division of Maoists, and Satyam Gavde (43), chief of DGN division, both natives of Chhattisgarh who carried cumulative reward of Rs 65 lakh each in three states, the IG informed.
"Alok alias Munna, a divisional committee member, and Mannu, member of military company no. 1 in Maad area, carried a bounty of Rs 18 lakh and Rs 14 lakh, respectively, in three states. Four slain ultras have been identified as Maoist area committee members Shankar, Kalmu Deve alias Kalla, Manju and Rinki. They carried a collective reward of Rs 13 lakh each," he said.
Three deceased cadres have been identified as Sukhram, a party member, Rame Oyam (28) and Jaini (24), both members of Mainpur LGS (local guerilla squad). the IG said, adding they carried a reward of Rs 3 lakh each on their heads.
Efforts are on to ascertain the identity of four other deceased cadres, Mishra said.
"At least 17 automatic and other firearms, including an AK-47 rifle and one Self Loading Rifle (SLR), were recovered from the encounter site. Besides, more than two dozen improvised explosive devices (IEDs) planted by Naxalites were neutralized by security forces during the operation," he informed.
At least 42 Naxalites have been killed in separate gunfights in Chhattisgarh this year.
Last year, 219 Naxalites were neutralised by security forces in separate encounters in Chhattisgarh.
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