Raipur: In a major development in the ongoing anti-Maoist operation in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district, security forces have recovered two additional bodies of Maoist rebels, bringing the total casualty count to 16. Among the deceased, six are women, according to Gariaband district police chief Nikhil Rakhecha. The joint security forces’ operation, which has been underway for the past 78 hours, continues near the Odisha border.
The bodies of the slain rebels, including senior Maoist leaders, were transported to Dr. Bhimrao Ambedkar Hospital, Raipur, for post-mortem examinations. A team of 22 doctors and medical staff conducted autopsies, with X-rays taken to rule out the presence of any hidden materials. Officials cited the lack of sufficient forensic facilities in Gariaband as the reason for moving the bodies to the state capital.
This encounter marks a significant blow to the Maoist insurgency, with the death of Central Committee member Jayram Pratap Reddy, alias Chalapathi, along with 13 senior cadres. The gun battle, which unfolded in the Mainpur forest near the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border, also left two security personnel injured.
The current operation is part of an intensified anti-Maoist drive in Chhattisgarh. So far, 48 Maoists have been neutralized in various districts of the state in January alone. Last year, the insurgency suffered unprecedented setbacks, particularly in the Bastar region, where 219 Maoists were killed in separate encounters, marking one of the largest casualties for the group in recent history.
Security forces remain on high alert as combing operations continue in the conflict-prone areas to dismantle the remaining Maoist network.