Kanker Encounter: 29 Naxals, Including Top Cadres, Gunned Down In Bastar Gunfight; CM Sai Hails ‘Big Achievement’

At least 29 Naxals, including their top cadres, were killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces in Kanker district of Bastar region in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday-- three days ahead of Lok Sabha Elections 2024.

Kanker Encounter: As many as 29 Naxals, including a top Naxalite leader, Shankar Rao– who carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head, were gunned down in an encounter with security forces in Kanker district of insurgency-hit Bastar region in Chhattisgarh on Tuesday. Three security personnel suffered injuries in the fierce gun-battle which ended with the highest fatalities suffered by Naxals in a single encounter in the state’s history.

A senior police official said the gunfight erupted at around 2 PM on Tuesday afternoon when when a joint team of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of the Chhattisgarh Police were carrying out an anti-Naxal operation in the Hapatola forest located between Binagunda and Koronar villages under Chhotebethiya police station limits.

29 Naxals, including top cadres killed in Kanker gunfight

Talking to reporters, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said the security forces had launched the operation based on inputs about the presence of senior cadres of north Bastar division of the outlawed CPI (Maoist) Shankar, Lalita, Raju and others.

Naxalites in the area opened fire on the security forces, triggering a fierce gunfight in which 29 Naxals, including their top cadres were shot dead, the senior officer said, adding that a massive cache of weapons, including AK-47 rifles, were recovered from the spot.

“Bodies of 29 Maoists along with a huge cache of weapons, including AK-47, SLR, Insas and .303 rifles, were recovered from the spot,” IG Sundarraj said.

The senior IPS officer said that three security personnel sustained injuries in the encounter and their condition was stated to be out of danger, adding they were referred to hospital for treatment.

‘Big achievement’, says CM Vishnu Deo Sai

Meanwhile, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed major anti-Naxal operation as “big achievement” and congratulated security forces for the “historic encounter”.

“It is indeed a very big achievement. A joint party of DRG and BSF carried out this operation and encountered Naxalites in the Binagunda-Koragutta jungles of the Chhottebetiya Police Station area of Kanker District. 29 Naxalites have been reported dead. Three jawans have been injured during the encounter and they are being treated. I congratulate all jawans and security personnel involved in this historical encounter,” CM said said.

The chief minister said the Naxalites were trying to disrupt the election process in the Bastar region which goes to polls on April 19.

“It seems as if the Naxalites wanted to disrupt the election process in the Bastar region on April 19. The site of the encounter is close to the Bastar and Kanker Lok Sabha constituencies. In Bastar, elections are going to be held on April 19,” Sai noted.

“In the past, they have attempted to disrupt polls. Our government is trying to bring development in the naxal-affected areas through the ‘Niyad Nellanar’ scheme. Home Minister Amit Shah has also reiterated his desire to put an end to naxalism. The government wants these Naxalites to come into the mainstream,” he added.

79 Naxals killed in Bastar so far this year

As many 79 Naxalites have been killed in separate gun-battles with security forces in the Bastar region, comprising seven districts, including Kanker, so far this year. Earlier this month, 13 Naxals were killed in another major gunbattle with forces personnel on April 2 in Bijapur district.

Polling in the Naxalite-hit Bastar Lok Sabha seat will take place on April 19 in the first phase, while the Kanker constituency, part of the Bastar region, will vote in the second round of general elections on April 26.

(With inputs from agencies)