Daijiworld Media Network - Raipur

Raipur, Sep 18: Security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district shot dead senior Maoist commander Booski Nuppo during a fierce encounter on Thursday morning in the forested hills between Gufdi and Permapara under Gadiras police station limits.

Nuppo, 35, a resident of Rewali village in neighbouring Dantewada district, was an active member of the Malangir Area Committee and had a ?5 lakh bounty on her head. She was wanted in at least nine serious cases, including seven in Aranpur, one in Kuankonda, and one in Gadiras, across Sukma and Dantewada districts.

The District Reserve Guard (DRG) launched the operation following intelligence inputs regarding Maoist activity in the region. During the operation, an intense exchange of fire broke out, resulting in Nuppo’s death. Her body was recovered along with a significant cache of arms, ammunition, and Maoist-related material.

Recovered items include a 315 bore rifle with five cartridges, a wireless set, eight detonators, about 10 metres of cordex wire, four gelatin rods, explosives, a radio, a backpack, and Maoist literature and daily-use items.

Sukma SP Kiran Chavan confirmed the successful elimination and underlined the importance of neutralising such a high-ranking Maoist operative. Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P stated that the operation was part of ongoing efforts to weaken the Maoist insurgency in the region. He also called upon remaining Maoist cadres to surrender and take advantage of the government’s rehabilitation policy.

This operation follows another successful encounter a day earlier in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district, where two armed Maoists were killed in the Mankeli-Gorna forest area. That operation was led by the DRG, with support from the CRPF and local police, acting on credible intelligence.

Authorities say both encounters mark crucial victories in the state’s long-running fight against Maoist insurgency and signal continuing pressure on Maoist strongholds in southern Chhattisgarh.