Three Naxalites, including two women, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district, according to police reports on Monday. Superintendent of Police Neelotpal stated that an intelligence input had indicated the presence of members of the Perimili Dalam Naxalite group camping in a forest near Katrangatta village in Bhamragad taluka.
The intelligence suggested they were preparing to carry out subversive activities during their ongoing Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) period. Two units of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat wing of the Gadchiroli police, were immediately sent for a search in the area, he said. While the teams were carrying out the search operation, Naxalites fired at them indiscriminately, to which the C-60 personnel retaliated, the official said.
Following the cessation of gunfire, authorities recovered the bodies of one male and two female Naxalites from the site, the official reported. Among them, one was identified as Vasu, serving as the in-charge and commander of the Perimili Dalam. Additionally, various weapons including an AK-47 rifle, a carbine, and an INSAS rifle, along with Naxal literature and other items, were discovered at the scene.
The police added that the anti-Naxal operation was ongoing in the area. Naxalites typically undertake the Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) from March to June to bolster their ranks and execute significant assaults on security forces. This period is chosen strategically as the forests lack green cover during this time, enhancing visibility for their operations.