Sukma: Two Maoist militants with Rs one lakh of reward money fixed on their heads were killed in an encounter with CRPF jawans in Chhattisgarh's Sukma on Tuesday.
According to sources, the encounter between Naxalites and jawans, who were out in search of militants at the Tadmetla area. It is believed that Naxalites suffered bigger casualties in the encounter. After the encounter stopped, the soldiers recovered the bodies of the Naxalites. A double barrel 12 bore rifle and a pistol have also been recovered, Sukma SP Kiran Chavan said.
Security forces launched the operation based on a tip-off after a large number of Naxalites assembled at Tadmetla. Jawans of DRG and the 223rd battalion of CRPF fanned out in search of militants. As soon as the soldiers reached Tadmetla forest, the Naxalites started firing indiscriminately on forces, who opened fire in retaliation while taking their position. After an encounter, which lasted for about an hour, the Naxalites retreated. However, intermittent firing is still going on in the area.
Many Naxalites are reported to have been shot at in this encounter. Sukma SP Kiran Chavan said that during the search after the firing, the jawans found the bodies of two male Naxalites. They have been primarily identified as Sodhi Deva, a resident of Tadmetla and Rava Deva, a Naxalite cadre under the Jagargunda Area Committee. Both were residents of Tadmetla.
A reward of Rs 1 lakh each was announced for both of them. Both Naxalites are involved in the murder of Shikshadoot Kawasi Sukka and the current deputy sarpanch of Tadmetla Panchayat, Madvi Ganga on June 28 in the Chintagufa area. These Naxalites have also been involved in the murder of Korsa Kosa near Minpa on August 31 on suspicion of being a police informer. Tadmetla, a Maoist hotbed in Sukma district, saw the death of 76 CRPF jawans in 2010 in the biggest Maoist attack on security forces in the country.
