Eight Maoists including CCM Modem Balakrishna killed in encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband

Security forces in Chhattisgarh launched coordinated operations against Maoist insurgents, resulting in the deaths of eight to ten Maoists, including senior most leader Modem Balakrishna and leaders from the CPI (Maoist) Odisha State Committee. The encounter took place in Gariaband district.

Kothagudem: Eight to ten Maoists, including two CPI (Maoist) Central Committee member Modem Balakrishna and Odisha State Committee members, were killed in an exchange of fire between security forces and Naxalites in Gariaband district of Chhattisgarh on Thursday.

According to police, intermittent firing had been ongoing between security forces and Maoists since morning. A team of Special Task Force (STF) and CRPF’s Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) personnel carried out search operations in Bhalu Diggi forests under Mainpur police station limits following information about the presence of naxals, Raipur Range Inspector General of Police Amresh Mishra told the media.

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Maoist Odisha State Committee member SZCM Pramod alias Pandu, Central Committee and Central Regional Bureau (CRB) member  Modem Balakrishna alias Manoj alias Bhaskar were among the Maoists killed in the encounter. Balakrishna hailed from Bhupalpally in the erstwhile Warangal district.

In another incident in Dantewada district in the State, Inspector Diwan Singh Gurjar and constable Alam Munesh of CRPF’s 195 Battalion were injured severely in an IED blast. The incident occurred while they were on a search operation in the area between Satdhar and Malewahi.

During the search operation, the personnel accidentally stepped on a pressure mine planted by the Maoists. The injured were rushed to the hospital for treatment, Dantewada SP Gaurav Rai said.