Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur
Raipur, Jun 5: In a major success for anti-Maoist operations, security forces gunned down Sudhakar, also known as Nar Singhachalam, a key member of the Maoist Central Committee, during an intense encounter in the dense forests of Bijapur, Chhattisgarh, on Thursday.
Sudhakar, who carried a bounty of Rs 1 crore, had been a top target for law enforcement agencies across Telangana, Chhattisgarh, and Maharashtra. Officials confirmed that he was killed during a combing operation in the National Park region, where intelligence reports had indicated the presence of several high-ranking Maoist leaders.
The operation, led by a joint force of District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and CoBRA units, began early Thursday morning. Security personnel encountered fierce resistance as Maoists ambushed the advancing team, sparking a heavy exchange of gunfire.
Bastar IG P. Sundarraj acknowledged the ongoing encounter, noting that Sudhakar’s elimination marks a significant blow to the Maoist leadership. "This is a major success for the government's campaign to make India free from Left-Wing Extremism (LWE) by early 2026," he said.
Sudhakar, who had operated for nearly 30 years in the Indravati Tiger Reserve area, was considered one of the most influential Maoist leaders in the region. His death comes amid a sustained crackdown on Maoist insurgents, with security forces neutralizing three Central Committee members and over 150 high-profile Maoists in the past six months across Chhattisgarh, Jharkhand, and Odisha.
Officials revealed that key leaders including Bijapur SP Jitendra Kumar Yadav, ADG Naxal Operations Vivekanand Sinha, Bastar IG P. Sundarraj, and CRPF IG Rakesh Agarwal are overseeing the operation, which remains ongoing as intelligence suggests the presence of other top Maoist operatives nearby.
The latest clash follows several recent successes in the region: on May 21, security forces eliminated 27 Maoists, including Basavaraju, the top Maoist leader carrying a ?1.5 crore bounty. Just last week, officials revealed details of the protracted Karregutta operation along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border that culminated in the deaths of 31 insurgents over a 24-day period.
The National Park region and Indravati Tiger Reserve continue to be a Maoist stronghold, but Thursday’s encounter underscores the relentless push by security forces to dismantle the insurgency and restore normalcy to the region.