Top naxal leader Damodar killed in Chhattisgarh encounter

In a statement released to the media, Maoist South Bastar Divisional Committee secretary Ganga says Damodar died while fighting the 'fascist-Hindutva' forces

Kothagudem: The outlawed CPI (Maoist) suffered a huge loss as it lost its top leader, Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar, in a major anti-naxal operation that lasted for two days in Pamed-Basaguda-Usur of south Bastar division in Chhattisgarh.

In a statement released to the media on Saturday, the Maoist South Bastar Divisional Committee secretary, Ganga, stated that Damodar died while fighting the ‘fascist-Hindutva’ forces.

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She claimed that as many as 18 Maoists were killed in the encounter contrary to the statement by the Bijapur SP, who said bodies of 12 armed naxals were recovered after the operation.

Ganga also claimed that in the encounter, the Maoists killed five security personnel and injured many others. The security forces had forcefully taken many villagers with them branding them as naxals and set several tractors and motorbikes on fire, she alleged.

It was said that the six naxals who were injured in the encounter, were taken back into forests by the Maoists and Damodar was among them. Damodar was said to have assumed responsibility as the Maoist Telangana State Committee recently and was also the in-charge of Maoist action teams.

He hailed from Kalvapalli of Mulugu district and was underground since 1998. Being a most wanted naxal, Damodar carried an AK-47 rifle. The Chhattisgarh government had announced a cash reward of Rs 50 lakh on his head while the Telangana government was said to have announced Rs 25 lakh cash reward.