By IANS,
Raipur : In one of Chhattisgarh’s biggest drives against Maoist insurgents, over 500 policemen pounded rebel hideouts across the Bastar region Friday and at least 10 guerrillas and a Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officer were killed in the operation, officials said.
The gunfights broke out in thickly forested stretches, some 450 km south of the state capital Raipur, in Dantewada district that is described as India’s worst Maoist-hit district.
“We have encircled over 100 Maoist terrorists in their stronghold at more than one location. Their landmine protected bases and arms factory were put under heavy fire. About two dozens insurgents were killed but we have recovered 10 bodies so far,” Additional Director General of Police Girdhari Nayak told IANS.
Police officials added that the casualty figure might surge as about 500 local police and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (Cobra) personnel were still engaged in battling the heavily armed Maoists. An assistant commandant of the Cobra battalion, Manoranjan Singh, was also killed while a few troopers were reported to be missing.
Officials said that the Maoists, who had developed a base in 40,000 sq km Bastar region in the late 1980s, were seen running for cover in their own stronghold when Cobra battalion put them under relentless attacks throughout the day.
Maoists, who claim to be fighting for the rights of poor farmers and landless labourers, are expanding their influence in the rural areas of east, central and southern India.
Thousands have been killed in the Maoist insurgency that began in the late 1960s and which Prime Minister Manmohan Singh has described as one of the gravest threats to India’s internal security.