New Delhi, Jan 5 At least four Maoists were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, an official said on Sunday, adding that a jawan also died in action.
A head constable of the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Sannu Karam, died in the encounter, which broke out on Saturday evening in a forest in south Abujhmaad.
The encounter began when a joint team of security personnel was on an anti-Maoist operation, said an official.
After the firing stopped, the bodies of four Maoists were found. The security forces recovered automatic weapons, including an AK-47 rifle and a self-loading rifle (SLR) from the spot.
A search operation is underway in the area, the officials added.
More details were awaited.
This comes days after Union Home Minister Amit Shah was in Chhattisgarh's Jagdalpur, where he addressed a group of surrendered Maoists. The Home Minister promised that Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s government would do everything possible to rehabilitate them. e emphasised the government's commitment to rehabilitating those affected by the violence and urged collective efforts to uproot Maoism from the region. He appealed to them to help encourage other Maoists to surrender as well.
Home Minister Shah said that when Prime Minister Narendra Modi gave him the responsibility of the Home Ministry in 2019, he thought that those who were involved in armed movements should be given a chance to lay down their arms, surrender and live peacefully. He said, "Following our initiatives, 20 peace accords were signed in the northeast and 9,000 militants surrendered." He further said that PM Modi approved 15,000 homes for surrendered Maoists under the Pradhan Mantri Awas Yojana while the National Dairy Development Board would provide at least one cow or buffalo to such families so that they could earn Rs 15,000 to Rs 20,000 per month.
On the fight against Maoists in Bastar, Shah said, “I am happy that we did a lot in this one year. But killing is not the way forward. Those who are holding weapons need to be brought to the mainstream. Hence, I told the Home Minister of Chhattisgarh (Vijay Sharma) to make the best Naxal rehabilitation policy that can be replicated in the rest of India. This policy will be ready in a few days and will be sent to other states. Based on this policy, we will try to improve the lives of Naxals who surrendered even 10 years ago and will try to strengthen them and their families.”
More than 200 Maoists were killed by security forces in Chhattisgarh in 2024. Over 800 Maoists were also arrested, while about 802 laid down their arms.
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