Six women among 10 Maoists killed in Bhupalpally encounter

Bhupalpally: Ten CPI-Maoists, including six women, were killed in an encounter at a forest location close to Telangana-Chhattisgarh border near Venkatapuram in Jayashankar-Bhupalpally district, 350 km northeast of Hyderabad on Friday. A Greyhound commando from Vikarabad was also killed in the gun battle that took place early in the morning.

Even as the police clarified that it was a joint operation conducted by the forces of Telangana and Chhattisgarh, they failed to clear the air over the status of two top Maoists – Telangana State Committee secretary Haribhushan alias Jagan and Karimnagar-Khammam-Warangal divisional committee secretary Bade Chokka Rao alias Damodar.  Since the news of encounter broke out, there were reports that both the top leaders were among those killed.

“Following a tip-off that the banned outfit members have been active in the region for the last few days, we were in coordination with the Chhattisgarh police and intensified combing operations.  Against this backdrop, our forces had come across the team of banned outfit this morning. We were forced to retaliate when the ultras opened fire indiscriminately, killing Greyhounds constable Sushil Kumar,” Bhadradri-Kothagudem Superintendent of Police Ambar Kishore Jha said.

Confirming the death of 10 Maoists, he said that they had so far identified two bodies. He refused to reveal their identity, stating that it will be done only after the identification of all those who died. It is learnt that only two bodies of Maoists apart from the Greyhounds constable were flown in by a special helicopter to Bhadrachalam. 

Further, the SP said that they had recovered one AK-47, an SLR, an INSAS .303 rifle, a pistol, rockets, detonators and Rs 43,000 in cash from the encounter site. He said the operation is still on in the thickets. The SP said that all the formalities are being carried out in accordance with the directions of the Supreme Court issued in the past.