In Chhattisgarh’s Bastar region, security forces achieved a significant victory by eliminating two high-value Maoist cadres in an encounter in Bijapur district. The cadres, identified as Hichami Madda and Manki Podium, were both Area Committee Members of the Bhairamgarh unit with rewards of Rs five lakh each. This successful operation has disrupted the local Maoist leadership structure in the sensitive zone along the Indravati River.
Forces recovered a substantial cache of weapons and materials from the site, including rifles, guns, grenades, detonators, batteries, medicines, and other Naxalite items. The arsenal seized highlights the Maoists’ reliance on a mix of looted service rifles, homemade weapons, and improvised explosives for their activities in the area. Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav mentioned that the operation was based on precise intelligence about the presence of armed Bhairamgarh Area Committee members in a specific region.
The encounter, which began with continuous exchanges of fire early in the morning, involved security personnel from various units navigating challenging riverine and forested terrain. Following the cessation of firing, the bodies of the two Maoist cadres were found at the site. Inspector General of Police, Bastar Range, Sundarraj Pattalingam, emphasized the broader message this sends to remaining Maoist members, citing former insurgents who have renounced violence and reintegrated into society. He urged active members to consider a similar path, underscoring the futility of armed conflict.
