Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, Apr 26: A soldier sustained injuries after an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) detonated, striking his leg during an ongoing major anti-Maoist operation in the Karregutta Hills area of Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh, officials said on Saturday.
The explosion caused significant damage, but fellow soldiers swiftly evacuated him from the danger zone and transported him to a nearby Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) camp for immediate medical attention, police officials confirmed.
The region has turned into a fierce battleground, with security forces locked in an intense encounter with Maoists near the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border. So far, six Maoists have reportedly been killed in the intermittent firing. Security forces have recovered the bodies of three female Maoists along with a cache of weapons from the site.
The operation spans dense jungles and rugged terrain and has been ongoing for the past three to four days, posing significant challenges to the forces. The soldier was injured while advancing to encircle Maoist positions, which were heavily fortified with IEDs.
Launched on Monday, the joint operation is among the largest in recent times, involving more than 10,000 personnel surrounding Maoist strongholds at the tri-junction of Chhattisgarh, Telangana, and Maharashtra.
Security forces are moving deeper into Maoist-controlled territory, with the aim of neutralising or capturing top Maoist leaders such as Madvi Hidma — who carries a bounty of Rs 1 crore — Damodar, Bandi Prakash, Azad, Chandranaje, Sujata, Kattaram Chandra Reddy, Vikalp, Vijjo, Urmila, Ganga, Mangdoo, Abhay, and Paparao, all key members of the Maoist Central and Dandakaranya Committees.
Meanwhile, amid mounting pressure from the ongoing operation, the Maoists issued a third press note within weeks, appealing for peace talks.
In a letter circulated across Chhattisgarh, Rupesh, the North West Sub Zonal Bureau in-charge of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), urged the government to immediately halt the security operation. He emphasised that peace talks were the only viable solution to the long-standing conflict, expressing readiness for negotiations and urging the government to reciprocate.