New Delhi: A sniper with the Maoist’s strongest armed battalion and carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakh was killed during an operation in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, Superintendent of Police Jitender Kumar Yadav said Monday.
Sodhi Kanna, the slain Maoist, was the deputy commander of the second company of the first battalion led by the dreaded Naxal commander Madvi Hidma, the lone central committee member (CCM) of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist) from Chhattisgarh
Security forces had launched the operation 4 July in the Indravati National Park after receiving inputs on the presence of the Maoist cadres from the Telangana State Committee, National Park Area Committee, PLGA Battalion 1 and other armed Maoist cadres.
On Monday, the Bijapur SP further hailed Kanna’s encounter as a massive success in the anti-Naxal campaign, as he was a potent sniper of the banned outfit and was active in the Indravati National Park area in the district.
Kanna’s body was recovered by a joint team of troops from the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Bijapur and Dantewada districts, Special Task Force, as well as troops from the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) and ‘Young Platoon’ of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF).
“Sodhi Kanna has been involved in many major incidents, including Maoist activities in the Tekalgudiyam area, and an attack on the Dharmaram camp. He was an associate of CCM Madvi Hidma and was working as a sniper in the battalion. His death has caused heavy loss to the Maoist organisation in terms of sniper capabilities,” Yadav said in a statement Monday.
The latest encounter takes the number of suspected Maoist cadres killed in Chhattisgarh to 415 in the last 18 months as security forces have gone on an unprecedented offensive campaign against the outlawed outfit.
Bastar Range Inspector General of Police, Sundarraj Pattilingam said that the security forces have continued their operations in the deeper areas of the forests, such as the national park in Bijapur, despite heavy monsoon rainfall and slippery terrain.
“It is particularly noteworthy that even in this challenging period of monsoon with heavy rainfall and difficult geographical conditions, there has been no decrease in the activity, vigilance and dedication of the security forces. Even amidst slippery forest mountain roads and constantly changing weather, all the forces, including DRG, STF, CoBRA, CRPF, BSF, ITBP, CAF, Bastar Fighters, are carrying out the mission with strong dedication,” the Bastar Range IG said.
(Edited by Tony Rai)
Great news indeed.
Every single Maoist must be exterminated. Kudos to the forces.