Chhattisgarh: In body blow to Reds, one of top netas killed at Gariaband | India News

Arms recovered from Maoists at Gariaband on Tuesday

RAIPUR: Security forces on Tuesday killed CPI (Maoist) central committee member Chalapati, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore. So far, 13 other cadres have also been killed in the encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband that has been going on for two days.
“This is one of the biggest breakthroughs. Usually, central committee members either die a natural death or, in rare cases, get arrested. Neutralising such a member is a big achievement,” said Gariaband SP Nikhil Rakhecha.
The gunfight began in the forests along Chhattisgarh-Odisha border after an operation was launched Monday by Chhattisgarh’s District Reserve Guards, CRPF, CoBRA and Odisha’s Special Operation Group, and was still on when reports last came in.
A native of Matempaipalli village in Chittoor district of Andhra Pradesh, Chalapati, besides being a member of the outfit’s top decision making body, was also the Odisha state committee in-charge, and was currently operating mainly in Marh region of Chhattisgarh, police said.
The latest success against the extremists comes just two days after CPI (Maoist) Telangana state committee secretary, Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar, was killed in an exchange of fire with security forces in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. As many as 40 Maoists have been gunned down in Chhattisgarh in the first three weeks of the year.