New Delhi, Nov 22 (IANS): The National Investigation Agency (NIA) on Wednesday filed a charge sheet against six more CPI (Maoist) cadres in connection to the 2021 attack in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur that left 22 security personnel dead.

This takes the total number of accused chargesheeted by the NIA in the case so far to 46.

The anti-terror probe agency had registered the case on June 5, 2021 and had filed its first charge sheet against 23 accused persons in December 2022.

A supplementary charge sheet against 17 more was filed in July this year.

An agency spokesperson here said that the second supplementary charge sheet filed on Wednesday at the NIA Special Court in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur has charged Manoj Podiyami aka Masa; Mula Devender Reddy aka Masa Dada; Vijja Hemla; Kesha Sodi aka Malla; Mallesh aka Mallesh Kunjam; and Sonu aka Dodi Sonu; under various sections of UA(P)Act 1967, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the IPC.

The official said that the deadly attack on security personnel had been carried out by the CPI (Maoist) cadres on the directions of top leaders of the proscribed organisation.

"The cadres had launched the gruesome assault with automatic weapons and Barrel Grenade Launchers (BGL) when combined teams of DRG, CoBRA and CRPF were conducting search operations against the Maoist cadres near Tekalgudiyam village, Tarrem.

"During the attack, the accused had also looted weapons from the SOC, besides kidnapping one CoBRA soldier, who was later released," the spokesperson added.