Bijapur (Chhattisgarh) [India], June 6 (HBTV): In a major blow to Naxalism in Chhattisgarh, a senior Naxal leader and Central Committee Member (CCM) of the banned CPI (Maoist), Sudhakar alias Gautam, was killed in an encounter in Bijapur district on June 5, marking the second high-profile Maoist leader neutralised in the state within just over three weeks.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) P Sundarraj said Gautam was eliminated during an anti-Naxal operation in the national forest area of Bijapur. This follows the successful operation on May 21 in Narayanpur's Abujmarh region, where security forces killed CPI (Maoist) General Secretary and Central Committee Politburo member Basava Raju along with 26 others.
'On May 21, after the recovery of the body of CPI (Maoist) leader and General Secretary Basava Raju in Abujmarh forest, today on June 5, security forces have once again achieved a major success in anti-Naxal operations,' IG Sundarraj told ANI.
He confirmed that after the encounter, security personnel recovered an AK-47 rifle, explosives, arms, and other ammunition from the site.
'In the Bijapur national park area, inputs were received regarding the presence of CPI (Maoist) senior cadres and PLG cadres. Based on this, joint teams of the STF, DRG, and CoBRA were deployed for the operation. During the mission, there were multiple exchanges of fire. Following the firefight, the body of a Maoist, an AK-47, explosive materials, and arms were recovered,' he added.
The encounter involved coordinated efforts by the Special Task Force (STF), District Reserve Guard (DRG), and Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA).
Officials stated that Gautam was a senior Maoist leader involved in numerous violent attacks that had led to the deaths of innocent tribal civilians and security personnel. His death is expected to be a significant setback for the Maoist movement, particularly in the Dandakaranya region, where he held considerable influence.
So far in 2025, a total of 186 Maoist cadres have been killed in counter-insurgency operations across the Bastar Range. Between 2024 and 2025, over 403 Maoists have been neutralised and their bodies recovered in the region during multiple encounters with security forces, according to officials.
(ANI)