14 Naxalites killed in Maha ops, top commanders ‘among dead’

Mumbai, April 22

Fourteen Naxals were killed in an encounter with the police in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Sunday, a senior official said. A couple of high-ranking unit commanders were likely to be among the dead.

A team of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat unit of the Gadchiroli police, carried out the operation in Tadgaon forest of Bhamragad. “Fourteen Naxals were killed in the encounter. The combing operations are still on,” said IGP Sharad Shelar.

“In an operation in Kasanasur jungle area bordering Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh, an exchange of fire took place between C-60 commandos and Maoists. During search, at least 12 bodies of Naxals have been recovered. Further searches are on,” said DGP Satish Mathur.

The DGP said there was a possibility that Naxal leaders of “DVC ranks” (high-ranking commanders) Sainath and Sinu, alias Srikant, were among those killed. “This is the biggest success ever in the Dandakaranya area by any anti-Naxal force. There are no major injuries on our side. The police teams are still in operation… The count may go up,” he said.

Home Minister Rajnath Singh later called up Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis and took stock of the security situation, an official said. Singh discussed with Fadnavis the Left-wing extremism situation in Gadchiroli district and other related issues, the ministry official said. — PTI

NIA wing to trace Maoist funding 

New Delhi: A dedicated wing is being set up in the National Investigation Agency (NIA) to go after Maoist leaders and their sympathisers allegedly involved in money laundering and spending huge amounts in higher education of their children, say officials. The Home Ministry recently approved the setting up of a wing in the NIA for the task, said an official. PTI