In a major intelligence-based operation, at least 26 outlawed Naxals, including a top commander were killed on Saturday during an encounter in Dhanora tehsil in the Gadchiroli district of Vidarbha region of Maharashtra.
"Today's operation is very important and historic. In the operation, 26 Naxalites have been killed," Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said, congratulating the police force for the success.
Gadchiroli’s superintendent of police Ankit Goyal confirmed the development.
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"As many as 25 to 26 bodies of Naxals have been recovered," Goyal told DH over phone from Gadchiroli.
He added that the encounter started in the wee hours in the remote Gyarapatti jungle.
Meanwhile, some reports said that among those killed include Milind Teltumbde, a most-wanted Maoist and an absconder in the Elgar Parishad-Koregaon Bhima case.
However, Goyal said: "The bodies are being identified...we will have to wait for a few more hours before we can give further details.....nothing can be confirmed or denied at this stage."
The encounter is still on and more details are awaited, an official of the Gadchiroli police told DH over phone.
A huge cache of arms and ammunition was recovered from the place of encounter.
The massive gunfight involved a dalam of the CPI (Maoist) and the C-60 unit of the Anti-Naxalite Operations of Maharashtra Police and units of the Central Reserve Police Force.
At least three police personnel were injured and have been shifted to Nagpur by helicopter. Their condition has been described as stable.
A top commander who carries a reward of several lakhs seems to be among those killed. However, there is no official confirmation yet.
"The bodies are being identified," police officials said.
"There are indications that the numbers could go up. Besides, the casualties can be high given the fact that Naxalities generally take away the bodies," intelligence officials said.
Massive combing operations in the Naxalite-infested areas of Gadchiroli have been launched to track down the fleeing outlaws.
Walse-Patil congratulated Goyal and additional superintendent of police Somay Munde.
This is the fifth big encounter in recent times in Gadchiroli.
On May 21, 13 outlawed Naxalites were killed in a pre-dawn encounter with police and security forces at Paydi-Kotmi jungles in Etapalli sub-division of Gadchiroli district
On October 11, five Naxals were killed during an encounter at Kosmi-Kisneli jungles of Dhanora located along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.
On March 3-4, 2020, in a successful Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) against the Naxalites along the Gadchiroli border, an arms manufacturing unit was busted.
Between April 22 and 23, 2018 more than 40 Maoists including four commanders were killed in the twin encounters in Gadchiroli district by a team of Anti-Naxalite Operations of Maharashtra police and 9th Battalion of Central Reserve Police Force.
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