Jan 6 IED blast kingpin also killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

Source: PTI - Edited By: Senjo M R

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February 13, 2025 22:57 IST

The 31 Maoists killed in the February 9 encounter in Bijapur in Chhattisgarh included the mastermind of the January 6 IED blast in which eight security personnel and a civilian lost their lives and several other deadly attacks, a police official said on Thursday.

IMAGE: Bodies of Naxals killed in gunfight kept at Bijapur District Headquarters along with recovered arms and ammunition. Photograph: ANI on Xm

Two jawans were also martyred in the February 9 encounter that took place in Indravati National Park. On January 6, Maoists blew up a vehicle using an improvised explosive device weighing 60 to 70 kg, killing eight security personnel and their civilian driver near Ambeli village under Kutru police station limits here.

Bastar Range inspector general of police Sundarraj P said among the 31 ultras killed in the encounter was Hunga Karma, who was secretary of the west Bastar division of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) and carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head.

"He was the mastermind of the January 6 attack on security personnel. Karma also masterminded the 2006 Murkinar camp attack in which 11 police personnel were killed as well as the 2007 Ranibodli camp attack in which 55 security personnel were killed," the IG said.

Karma alias Sonku, a divisional committee member of Maoists, joined the outlawed outfit in 1996 and eight Maoist-related offences, including attacks on police teams and camps, kidnapping, murder etc, were registered against in him in different police stations of Bijapur district, Sundarraj said.

Of the 31 killed ultras, 28, including 17 men and 11 women, have been identified and they carried a cumulative reward of Rs 1.10 crore on their heads.

"The bodies of these 28 have been handed over to their families. Efforts are on the ascertain the identity o the remaining three," the IG added.

Out of the 81 Naxalites gunned down in the state so far this year, 65 were killed in the Bastar division, which comprises Bijapur and six other districts.

So far this year,77 firearms, including two AK-47 rifles, five Self Loading Rifles (SLR) and two INSAS rifles and three.303 rifles, have been recovered following separate encounters in Bastar region, the IG informed.

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Source: PTI - Edited By: Senjo M R© Copyright 2025 PTI. All rights reserved. Republication or redistribution of PTI content, including by framing or similar means, is expressly prohibited without the prior written consent.