The security forces have scored a success in a dramatic gun battle with Naxalites on the border of Odisha and Chhattisgarh. It may be recalled that the operation began on Sunday, and so far, four fledgling Naxalites, two of them women, have been killed. Furthermore, through the provincial mechanised forces, two other bodies have been identified besides one Self-Loading Rifle (SLR), Improvised Explosive Devices (IEDs) and many kilograms of explosives have also been seized from this place.
As per police records, the intelligence received at night on 19 January suggests that nearly 60 Maoists had assembled in Kularighat Reserve Forest, which is only 5 kilometres away from the border of Nuapada district in Odisha. Taking a cue from this tip-off, an inter-state operation involving the Special Operations Group (SOG) of Odisha Police, Chhattisgarh Police’s elite E-30 unit, apart from CRPF.
The operation intensified near the Bhalludigi hills in the Manipur region of Chhattisgarh, where the security forces had planned to surround the Naxalite. The continued firing displaced the insurgents, and 14 of them were neutralized, including two women fighters. The forces recovered an SLR rifle, bullets, and many explosives, including IEDs, from the spot, indicating the fact that the Naxalites had readied themselves in the region.
The incident could be considered as a major setback for Naxalites in the area as it is the security forces have dealt with a major Maoist operation. They said the operation is still continuing to wipe out any remaining insurgents and to consolidate the area.
This operation has elucidated how the Odisha and Chhattisgarh police forces and the central agencies are quickly working together in order to eliminate the Naxalite menace in the region. Security forces are on alert, be it follow-up operations to ensure that the borders remain peaceful.
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