In what is being seen as the second biggest success after they eliminated as many as 40 naxalites in two separate operations in May 2018, the anti-naxal commandos of the Maharashtra Police on Friday morning gunned down 13 Maoists, including 7 women, in a fierce gun-battle in the deep forests of Kotmi in Etapalli taluka of Gadchiroli in eastern Maharashtra.
After the gun-battle that lasted for more than 90 minutes, the elite C-60 commandos of the Anti Naxal Squad (ANS) of the Gadchiroli police recovered a huge cache of arms, ammunition and explosives, including one AK-47 rifle, SLR, Carbine, 303 and 12 bore rifles and an Improvised Explosive Device (IED) from the spot. Among those killed were a naxal operative identified as one Satish, a member of the north Gadchiroli divisional committee of CPI (Maoist).
The encounter between the ANS commandos and Maoists took place between 6 am and 7.30 am when the former were carrying out a combing operation in the Kotmi forest AREA. Some 60 to 70 began firing at the ANS commandos, numbering more than 100, from a hilltop at around 6 am. The commandos retaliated, killing 13 Maoists on the spot. Those Maoists killed in the encounter comprised seven women and six men.
In a bid to loot the arms and ammunition being carried by the police party, the Maoists fired indiscriminately at the ANS commandos. “At that the ANS commandos asked them lay down their arms and surrender. However, the Maoists opened fire at the commandos more intensely. The commandos had no alternative but to retaliate. Seeing the increased intensity of the firing from the commandos in the encounter that went on for 90 minutes, the naxals fled the scene,” a statement issued by the Gadchiroli police said.
Friday’s operation is being seen as the second biggest success after the security agencies gunned down 40 suspected Maoists in two separate anti-naxal operations in Gadchiroli district of eastern Maharashtra on May 22, 2018.
The elimination of 13 Maoists came three weeks after the ANS’ C-60 commandos gunned down two hardcore Maoists –Vinay LaluNarote (31) and Vivek alias Suraj alais Manohar Kanu Narote.
By killing Vinay and Vivek who were part of a group numbering anywhere from 20 to 25 Maoists that had gathered at AOP Ghatta (J) in Hedri sub-divisions of Gadchiroli district on April 28, 2021, the C-60 commandos foiled a conspiracy to engineer a major subversive act in the area. The eliminated Maoists had masterminded an attack on the AOP Ghatta (J).
In another encounter that took place on October 18 2020, the ANS commandos gunned down 5 Maoists, including 3 women in Gyarapatti forests in Dhanora taluka of Gadchiroli district.