Sukma: A Naxalite was killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said.
The gunfight took place in the evening on a forested hill near Pamlur village under Bhejji police station limits when a joint team of security personnel was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, a senior official here said.
Personnel belonging to the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Bastar Fighters, the Central Reserve Police Force and its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were involved in the operation, he said.
The operation was launched on Sunday night based on inputs about the presence of Maoists belonging to their Konta and Kistaram area committees in Pamlur, Dabbakonta, Burklanka and Singhanmadgu villages. After the exchange of fire stopped, the body of a male Naxalite along with a firearm was recovered from the spot, he said.
A search operation was still underway in the area, the official added. With this gunfight, 189 Naxalites have been gunned down by security forces in separate encounters in the Bastar region comprising seven districts, including Sukma, police said.
On October 4, security forces killed 31 Naxalites in a forest along the border of Narayanpur-Dantewada districts. This was the highest fatalities suffered by Maoists in a single operation since Chhattisgarh's creation 24 years ago.
Centre claims success
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Monday commended the Chhattisgarh government for its success in combating Naxalism, citing the elimination of 194 Naxalites, arrest of 801, and surrender of 742 since January.
While addressing a review meeting with the Chief Ministers of Left Wing Extremism (LWE)-affected states at Vigyan Bhavan, Shah appealed to Naxalite youth to lay down their arms and join the mainstream, highlighting that nearly 13,000 individuals have done so in the northeast and Jammu Kashmir.
"I congratulate the Chief Minister, Home Minister, DGP and the entire team of Chhattisgarh. Since January, 194 Naxalites have been killed, 801 Naxalites have been arrested and 742 Naxalites have surrendered. I appeal to all the youth associated with Naxalism to leave the weapons and come in mainstream. Whether it is northeast or JK, almost 13000 have left the weapon and joined the mainstream," the Home Minister said.
Shah attributed the progress to the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, which saw a threefold increase in funding from Rs 1180 crore between 2004-2014 to Rs 3,006 crore from 2014-2024. The Special Central Assistance Scheme has also allocated Rs 3590 crore over the last decade.
"Under the Security Related Expenditure (SRE) scheme, Rs 1180 crore was spent on this scheme from 2004-2014, while from 2014-2024 we have spent Rs 3,006 crore which is almost three times. SRE is the main scheme which contribute to the development work in the Naxal affected areas. Under the Special Central Assistance Scheme, we have spent Rs 3590 crore in the last ten years," he said.
"Before 2019, two helicopters were deployed for soldiers, but today the number have increased to 12 including six of Border Security Force (BSF) and six of air force to help the soldiers. When I went to Chhattisgarh in January, we made a planned detail for development and eradication of Naxilsm," he said.
