Gadchiroli, Aug 28: Four Naxalites carrying a combined bounty of ₹14 lakh were killed in an encounter with security forces in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, police confirmed on Thursday.
The slain rebels have been identified as Malu Pada (41), Kranti alias Jamuna Halami (32), Jyoti Kunjam (27), and Mangi Madkam (22). They were members of the banned outfit’s Gadchiroli division Gatta LOS, Company No. 10, and associated groups.
According to officials, the operation took place on August 27 in Koparshi forest, Bhamragad sub-division, along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border. Acting on intelligence inputs about Naxalite presence, security forces launched the offensive.
The operation was led by Additional SP (Operations) M. Ramesh, who noted that police teams trekked through difficult forest terrain despite two days of heavy rainfall to reach the spot.
A statement from the Gadchiroli SP’s office said the successful encounter dealt a significant blow to the outlawed movement’s local network.
