Five Maoists were reportedly killed in an exchange of fire with security forces along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border in Mulugu district this morning, a police official announced to the press today.
According to the police official, the encounter took place during a joint search operation in the forest areas of Doli and Jelia villages in Venkatapuram mandal. The operation was part of ‘Operation Kagaar-2’.
Security personnel from the CRPF, CoBRA, Greyhounds and the District Reserve Guard (DRG), numbering around 5,000, participated in the operation in the Karregutta hillocks, considered to be a stronghold of the CPI (Maoist), the police official declared in his report to the press.
The exchange of fire began at dawn when patrolling teams encountered a squad of armed Maoists. The identities of the deceased were yet to be officially confirmed. Those killed were suspected to be members of an Area Committee of the Maoist party. Security forces reportedly recovered automatic weapons, Maoist literature and other materials from the site of the encounter, the police official told the press.
As per the police official’s report, security forces have launched an intensified combing operation along the Telangana-Chhattisgarh border following intelligence inputs that senior Maoist leaders may be sheltering in the area, including Central Committee Member (CCM) Devji, Mala Raji Reddy and senior leader Bade Chokkaram alias Damodar.
The police official further stated that the special operation is being carried out in forest areas of Venkatapuram mandal in Mulugu district and adjoining border regions, adding that though officials have not officially confirmed the presence of senior leaders, sources indicated that some Maoist functionaries may have moved into Mulugu district to evade security surveillance.
The police official concluded his remarks by saying that combing operations were continuing in the area, and that further details were awaited.
Source : https://www.deccanchronicle.com/southern-states/telangana/5-maoists-killed-in-encounter-on-telangana-chhattisgarh-border-1938443