Five Naxals, including two women cadres, who all were carrying a collective reward of ₹43 lakh on their heads, were killed on Monday morning in an operation conducted by C-60 commandos in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district, a senior police officer said.
A cache of arms and ammunition, including an AK-47 rifle, a 12-bore rifle, a 303 rifle, an 8 mm rifle, and some electronic items, was recovered from the spot located in Khobramenda forest area.
Police suspect that at least four to five ultras were injured in the exchange of fire.
Gadchiroli SP Ankit Goyal told reporters that C-60 commandos had received the information that Naxals were gathering in a large number in Tipagarh forest area against the backdrop of ‘Naxal week’ being observed by them with the possibility of a planned ambush.
“The Gadchiroli police’s C-60 commandos conducted the operation on Monday morning in Khobramenda forest area where they were attacked by 40 to 50 ultras. The exchange of fire lasted for two to two-and-a-half hours in which five Naxals were killed,” he said.
A release issued by the office of the SP in Gadchiroli identified one of the slain Naxals as Rushi Raoji alias Bhaskar Hichami(46) of North Gadchiroli division carrying a bounty of ₹25 lakh on his head.
He had a total of 155 offences registered against him, including 41 cases of murder, 78 encounters with police, and other offences, it said.
