The Chhattisgarh Police has claimed that 18 Maoists were killed in a joint counter insurgency operation in Tondamarka area of Sukma district in June this year.
The operation, named ‘Prahaar’, was conducted by the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA — an elite unit of CRPF) and the State police’s Special Task Force (STF) and District Reserve Guard (DRG) between June 23 and 25, the police said.
The area, situated deep inside the forest under Chintagufa police station limits, is considered a Naxal den. While the body of only one Naxal was recovered, according to Sukma Superintendent of Police Abhishek Meena. The body of Uika lakhu, a hardcore ‘military cadre’, was recovered, Meena said.
Several other rebels were either killed or injured but their colleagues managed to drag their bodies away, he said. Three DRG jawans were also killed and six other security personnel injured in the operation, the SP said.
"We have received confirmed reports that 14 Maoists were gunned down in the exchange of fire with the security personnel during that operation, while another four injured cadres succumbed later," Meena said.
As per the local intelligence sources, six of the slain Naxals were identified as Sodhi Budhra, Podiyam Suresh, Muchaki Jogi, Madvi Hidma, Veti Joga and Sodhi lakhe, all belonging to the People's liberation Guerrilla Army (PlGA) squad of the Maoists, he said.
On April 24, 2017, 25 CRPF personnel, who were providing security for a road construction work, were killed in a Naxal attack in Burkapal area of Sukma. Prior to it on March 11, 12 CRPF personnel were killed in a Naxal attack in Bhejji area of Sukma.