A major encounter in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district has left ten Maoists dead, police confirmed on Friday. Security forces clashed with the group in a forested area, leading to a fierce exchange of fire. Officials later revealed that all ten slain Maoists carried significant cash rewards on their heads, announced by three different states.
According to police, the Maharashtra government had placed rewards worth ₹1.72 crore, while Chhattisgarh and Odisha each announced ₹72 lakh for the group. Among the dead was Modem Balakrishna alias Manoj from Telangana, who carried a bounty of ₹1.5 crore. Another was Pandu alias Vilas Punjagal alias Chandu, an Odisha state committee member, with rewards totaling ₹65 lakh across states.
Other identified Maoists include Manjunath alias Suresh, head of the technical team, with ₹18 lakh in combined rewards, and Sunil alias Jyoti, a committee member, with ₹13 lakh on his name. Police also named Meshko, Jitira, Vanitha, Santru, Arjun, and Lehli, all of whom had multiple rewards ranging from ₹1 lakh to ₹13 lakh.
Authorities said the operation dealt a major blow to Maoist networks operating across Chhattisgarh, Maharashtra, and Odisha. Security agencies believe the encounter will significantly weaken the group’s presence in the region.
