Unknown event in Chhattisgarh, Belam Gutta in Bijapur District area, India on Sat 20th January 2024

Three Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres, including two women cadres, were killed in a gun battle with Security Forces (SFs) during a search operation in the hills near Belam Gutta village under Basaguda Police Station limits in Bijapur District of Chhattisgarh on January 20, reports The Pioneer. A team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA), an elite unit of the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), were carrying out an operation in Balam Nedra and Belam Gutta villages, Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Anjaneya Vaishnav said, adding that they had inputs about the presence of senior Maoists, including ‘divisional committee member (DCM)’ Vinod Karma, Awapalli Local Organising Squad (LOS) Raju Punem, ‘area committee member (ACM)’ Vishwanath, Guddu Telam, and 20–25 Naxalites [Left Wing Extremists, LWEs] of Basaguda and Madded Area Committees of the CPI-Maoist. After the encounter, the bodies of three Maoists, including two women (whose identities are yet to be ascertained), were recovered from the spot, and two muzzle-loading guns, a pistol, five live cartridges, 15 gelatins, five detonators, wires, explosive materials, Maoist uniforms, and literature were also recovered from the site.