Page 2 - Naxalism

Teen injured as IED planted by Naxalites explodes in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur

A 16-year-old boy sustained injuries after an improvised explosive device (IED) planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, police said on Sunday. The blast took place on Saturday evening when the victim, a resident of Kondapadgu village under Bhopalpattnam police station limits, had ventured into a nearby forest to graze cattle, an official said. The official said the boy inadvertently came in contact with the IED, which exploded, injuring his legs. The boy was admitted to the Bijapur district hospital, he said. The Maoists often plant IEDs on dirt tracks to target security personnel who use these routes during anti-Naxal operations inside forests. Civilians have fallen prey to such traps laid by ultras in the past in the Bastar region, police said. Police have appealed to the public to be extra cautious while visiting forest areas and immediately inform the police station or the nearest security camp about any suspicious objects or activities. On July 13,

Threat of Naxalism now confined to just five-six districts: Rajnath Singh

Defence Minister Rajnath Singh has said that the infamous red corridor is now confined to just five-six districts, and these regions are turning into growth hubs

2 women Naxalites killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur

Two women Naxalites have been killed in an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, police said on Thursday. The gunfight broke out late Wednesday evening at a forest under Kohkameta police station limits in Abhujmaad area when a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) was out on an anti-Naxal operation, a police official said. The DRG personnel, belonging to Narayanpur and Kondagaon districts, were involved in the operation launched based on inputs about the presence of senior cadres of Maad division of Maoists, he said. "So far, bodies of two women Naxalites along with an Insas rifle and a .315 bore rifle have been recovered from the spot," the official said. The operation was still underway, he added.

Don't politicise anti-Naxal ops, ensure transparency: Sachin Pilot

Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday said the anti-Naxal operations should be carried out effectively in a transparent manner and the exercise should not be politicised. The Congress in-charge for Chhattisgarh was talking to reporters at the Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur, after arriving here for a two-day visit during which he will chair a series of meetings with the party leaders. Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement that anti-Naxal operations will be continued during the rainy season, Pilot, said, "The Congress has always been against violence and extremists. Our leaders have sacrificed their lives to keep this country and state safe." "Whatever effective action is to be taken, it should be taken. Action should be done in a transparent manner and it should not be politicised," he said. This is a matter of internal security. No one should do politics over this, the former Union minister said. Whatever action is taken, it should be done by ta

Shah to visit security camps, review anti-Naxal ops to Chhattisgarh

Union Home Minister Amit Shah will visit a security camp and chair a meeting to review ongoing anti-Naxal operations in Chhattisgarh during his two-day trip to the state starting from June 22, Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma said on Thursday. He will also lay foundation stones for a National Forensic Science University (NFSU) and a state forensic lab in Nava Raipur Atal Nagar on the first day of his visit (Sunday), Sharma told reporters here. The state government has allotted 40 acres of land for NFSU, which will be built by the Centre at a cost of around Rs 400 crore. The state forensic lab will come up adjacent to the NFSU campus on six to seven acres of land, said the Deputy CM, who holds the home portfolio. The next day (Monday), Shah will visit a camp of security forces (in Bastar region), he added. During the visit, Shah will chair a meeting in Raipur to review ongoing anti-Naxal operations and meet with family members of Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao ...

From conflict to caution: Tribals fear new threat as Naxalism fades

Veteran tribal leader and former Union minister Arvind Netam has raised alarms about coal mining in the Hasdeo forest of Chhattisgarh

Three Naxalites with ₹19 lakh bounty surrender in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur

Three Naxals, including two women -- carrying a collective cash reward of Rs 19 lakh on their heads -- have surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, citing disillusionment with "hollow" Maoist ideology and exploitation of tribals, police said on Thursday. One of the Naxals, identified as Bhima alias Dinesh Podiam (40), turned himself in on Wednesday, while the two women cadres, Sukli Korram alias Sapna and Devli Mandavi (22), surrendered on Tuesday before authorities, an official said. The trio surrendered before senior police and CRPF officials in Narayanpur citing disillusionment with "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology, exploitation of innocent tribals by senior cadres and increasing influence of security forces in the Bastar region, he said. While Bhima, who was active as a company party member in east Bastar division of Maoists, carried a reward of Rs 10 lakh, Sukli, a platoon party committee member, and Devli, a janmilitia member, were carrying bounty of Rs 8 ..

Naxalism taking last breath: CM Sai pays tribute to cop killed in IED blast

Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday said the end of Naxalism is certain, as he laid wreath at the mortal remains of Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Girepunje killed in an IED blast in Sukma district. The CM said Girepunje's sacrifice will not go in vain. Girepunje was killed and two officers were injured after the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxals exploded on Monday in Sukma. Amid emotional chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Akash Rao Amar Rahe', wreaths were laid on Tuesday at the police officer's mortal remains at the headquarters of the 4th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) in Mana area here. Apart from CM Sai, Deputy CMs Vijay Sharma and Arun Sao, state assembly speaker Raman Singh, ministers, public representatives and senior administration and police officials were present at the wreath laying ceremony. Girepunje's family members, including his parents, his wife and two minor children, were also present. His 7-yea

ASP killed, 2 other cops injured in IED blast in Chhattisgarh's Sukma

A senior police official was killed and some other personnel were injured when a pressure Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxalites exploded in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said. Additional Superintendent of Police (ASP-Konta Division) Akash Rao Girepunje and other personnel were out on foot patrolling when the incident took place near Dondra village on Konta-Errabor road, an official said. The patrolling was launched in view of a bandh called by Naxalites on Tuesday, he said. The ASP, some other police officials and personnel sustained injuries in the blast, the official said. All the injured personnel were shifted to Konta hospital where the ASP succumbed to his injuries, the official added.

Chhattisgarh CM to brief PM on anti-Naxal ops, hails top leader's death

While hailing the recent successful anti-Naxal operation, which neutralised Gautam, a Central Committee Member (CCM), the Chief Minister saluted the jawans for their bravery

Naxal leader killed in Chattisgarh; second to be neutralised in 3 weeks

According to officials, Gautam was a senior Maoist leader responsible for various violent incidents that resulted in the deaths of numerous innocent tribal civilians and of security personnel

Chhattisgarh's new policy to turn red-terror hideouts into tourist hubs

The focus of the policy is to promote homestays in areas where not only tourists, but also the citizens, are reluctant to visit, following the Maoist terror

Security forces recover over 2.5 tonnes of explosives looted by Maoists

Security forces on Monday recovered over 2.5 tonnes of explosive materials looted by Maoists in Odisha's Sundergarh district, a senior police officer said. The security personnel of the state's Special Operation Group (SOG), CRPF, Jharkhand's elite Jaguar force and Sundergarh's District Voluntary Force (DVF) during a joint operation in Odisha-Jharkhand border, recovered more than 2.5 tonnes of explosives which was looted by Maoists from K Balang area of Sundergarh district on May 27, the officer told PTI over phone. "While some of the explosives were buried under the earth, others could be located from underneath rocks," the officer engaged in the operation said, adding that the search operation was continuing since May 28, a day after the Maoists looted the explosives when they were being transported to a stone quarry for blasting purpose. Though the officer refused to disclose the exact location of the explosive recovery in the jungle, he said the place was part of the Saranda ..

16 Naxalites surrender in Chhattisgarh, Kerlapenda becomes Maoist-free

Sixteen Naxalites, including six carrying a collective cash reward of Rs 25 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Monday, police said. Of them, nine cadres belonged to Kerlapenda village panchayat under Chintalanar police station limits. With this surrender, the village has become Naxalite-free, making it eligible for development projects of Rs 1 crore as per a new scheme of the state government, an official said. All 16 cadres, including a woman, turned themselves in before senior police and CRPF officials, here citing disappointment with the "hollow" and "inhuman" Maoist ideology and atrocities by ultras on local tribals, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said. The cadres were also impressed by the Chhattisgarh government's 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good village) scheme, aimed at facilitating development works in remote villages, and the state's new surrender and rehabilitation policy, he said. Among those who surrendered, Rita alias Dodi Sukki (36), a wom

Security forces engage in encounter with Naxalites in J'khand's Jhariakela

Explosives and other daily-use items were recovered and seized by the security forces during the search operation

Naxalism on wane: Maoist incidents, civilian casualties drop sharply

Official data shows that the number of naxal-related incidents, comprising security operations as well as naxal-initiated violence, has been declining over the past 12 years with an aberration in 2022

CPI (Maoist) with Rs 5 lakh bounty killed in gunfight in Jharkhand

A member of the banned CPI (Maoist), who was carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was killed in a gunfight with security forces in Jharkhand's Latehar district on Monday, a senior police official said. Another red rebel was also arrested during the operation, he said. The encounter between security forces and Maoists broke out in a forest in Dauna under the Mauhadand Police Station limits on Sunday night, he said. "Manish Yadav, who was carrying a reward of Rs 5 lakh on his head, was killed in the gunfight with security forces. Another Maoist Kundan Kherwar was arrested," Palamu DIG YS Ramesh told PTI. The operation was conducted barely two days after two Maoists, including JJMP supremo Pappu Lohra, who was carrying a bounty of Rs 10 lakh on his head, were killed in an anti-Naxal operation by security forces in the district.

DRG jawan killed in blast while returning from encounter in Chhattisgarh

A District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan of the state police was killed when an improvised explosive device planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, officials said. The incident took place in densely forested Abhujmad area on Wednesday evening when security personnel were returning after a major encounter with Maoists, a senior police official said. At least 27 Naxalites including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70), general secretary of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), were killed in the encounter which took place in the forests along the border of Narayanpur and Bijapur districts. While returning, Ramesh Hemla, a jawan belonging to the Bijapur DRG, stepped on a pressure-activated IED, triggering a blast that killed him on the spot, the police official said. Another DRG member, Khotluram Korram, was killed during the encounter earlier on Wednesday. Korram was a resident of Bhatbeda village in Orchha police station area of Narayanpur.

For the first time, 17 Naxal-hit villages in Chhattisgarh get electricity

Seventeen villages nestled among nearly inaccessible mountains and dense forests in Naxal-hit Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district of Chhattisgarh have got electricity from the supply grid for the first time, officials said on Friday. About 540 families will benefit from the electrification, which has been done at Rs 3 crore under the Mukhyamantri Majratola Vidyutikaran Yojana, they said. Due to the difficult terrain, reaching these areas was extremely challenging amid the Naxalite threat. Providing the electricity supply through the grid was no less than a mission in these villages, said an official statement. The villages had access to solar power to light up bulbs, but faced maintenance issues. In many villages, solar panels got stolen, forcing children to study under kerosene lamps, said officials. Celebrations broke out in the villages Katuljhora, Kattapar, Bodra, Bukmarka, Sambalpur, Gattegahan, Pugda, Amakodo, Petemeta, Tatekasa, Kundalkal, Raimanhora, Nainguda, Metatodke,

KCR asks Centre to stop killing Naxals under 'Operation Kagar'-What is it?

Operation Kagar is an initiative led by Home Minister Amit Shah, aimed at eliminating Naxal activities in India and bringing an end to the political influence of Maoism