SECURITY forces delivered a decisive blow to Maoist insurgency in Sukma’s Bhejji region by eliminating 10 armed Maoists during a high-stakes encounter on Friday morning. The operation, spearheaded by the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), took place near Bhandarpadar village following precise intelligence inputs about insurgent activity in the area. “The dead Maoists included prominent leader Madkam Masa, divisional military commander of the South Bastar Division, who was responsible for orchestrating multiple attacks and carried a bounty of Rs 8 lakh. Masa’s wife, Dudhi Hungi, a member of Platoon No. 4, was also killed in the encounter, along with Lakma Madvi, divisional small action team commander with a bounty of Rs 5 lakh. Other casualties included

 

Madkam Jitu and Madkam Kosi, both Platoon No. 4 members carrying Rs 2 lakh bounties each, and Masa’s personal guard, Kovasi Kesa. Three additional female Maoists remain unidentified,” disclosed Bastar Range Inspector General of Police (IGP) Sundarraj Pattilingam. He further maintained that the elimination of Masa, a divisional military commander, is a significant setback for the Maoists, disrupting their operational capabilities and morale. His leadership was central to ambush strategies in South Bastar, making his death a critical blow to insurgent command.

 

 

According to the IGP, the insurgents belonged to the Konta and Kistaram Area Committees of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoists), notorious for their ambush tactics and offensives against security forces. The Bastar IGP further confirmed the recovery of a substantial cache of sophisticated weapons, including AK-47s, INSAS rifles, SLRs, and other advanced firearms, underscoring the Maoists’ operational readiness. “The joint op began on November 20 when DRG and CRPF teams launched a combing mission in response to intelligence reports about Maoist movements from Odisha. The encounter erupted at 9 AM. on November 22, with security forces engaging the insurgents in the dense forests south of Bhejji police station. Following the clash, security forces intensified combing operations in the area to ensure no insurgents escaped,” he encapsulated.