'Fight against LWE gains strength': Eknath Shinde hails security forces for Gadchiroli encounter

Mumbai, May 23 (IANS) Maharashtra Deputy Chief Minister Eknath Shinde on Friday said that four Maoists neutralised during an encounter in the state's Gadchiroli district has come as a success in the fight by the Central government to completely eradicate LWE from the country's soil.

“Today’s operation has given a befitting reply to the Maoists while giving strength to the anti-LWE policies,” he remarked.

Shinde, who was earlier the Gadchiroli district guardian minister, congratulated the Special Director General of Police of the Anti-Naxal Operation Sandeep Patil, the district superintendent of police and his team and all the C-60 jawans involved in the operation. He also praised them for their successful operation despite the adverse conditions in the area which has been witnessing heavy rainfall.

“Two months ago, Gadchiroli police had set up a police aid station in Kawande village on the border of Bhamragad taluka and Chhattisgarh. On receiving information about the movement of Maoists in the area, 300 personnel of C-60 squad and a contingent of Central Reserve Police Force had left for the area on Thursday afternoon. Since the Maoists had started firing on the police since morning, the police retaliated. The firing continued for about two hours, after which an inspection of the spot was conducted and it was found that 4 Maoists were killed in this operation. These included two female and two male Maoists,” he said.

According to the police, the operation was set in motion on Thursday afternoon, following intelligence input indicating the presence of Maoist groups near the newly established Forward Operating Base (FOB) in Kawande.

As dawn broke on Friday, security forces were systematically securing the area and searching the riverbanks when they came under sudden and indiscriminate gunfire from Maoists.

The C-60 commandos promptly responded, triggering an intense exchange of fire that lasted close to two hours.

Once the gun-battle subsided, a thorough sweep of the area resulted in the discovery of four bodies of Maoists.

The search also yielded a range of weapons and supplies, including an automatic self-loading rifle, two .303 rifles, a Bharmar gun, walkie-talkies, camping gear, and Maoist literature.

This encounter comes on the heels of a significant crackdown in adjoining Chhattisgarh just two days earlier, where security forces decisively eliminated 27 Maoists, including their top commander, Basavaraju.

--IANS

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