3 naxals in Jiram killings gunned down

A Naxal commander and his two gunmen, allegedly involved in 2013 Jiram Ghati Maoist attack in which 27 Congressmen were massacred, were on Wednesday gunned down in an encounter with security forces in the jungles of Chhattisgarh’s south Bastar district of Dantewada. According to Bastar inspector general of police S.R.P. Kalluri, acting on a specific input on presence of armed guerrillas in Metapal jungle under Katekalyan police limits in Dantewada district by state intelligence bureau (SIB), a small team of district reserve group (DRG) comprising 12 members was dispatched to area to conduct search operation. The search party was ambushed by the insurgents between Terrempara and Lakhapal, leading to a fierce gun battle between them that lasted nearly an hour. The encounter ended when the rebels fled the spot. Bodies of the Naxals were later recovered from the site. “One 315 bore gun and two country made rifles were also found at the spot,” Dantewada police said.

The deceased have been identified as Bal Singh alias Masa, member of Katekalyan Area Committee of Maoists, and his two gunmen.

Masa who was also deputy commander of Dumam Local Operational Squad (LOS) operating in Katekalyan area, carried a reward of Rs eight lakh on his head.

The local surrendered Naxals have identified the deceased rebels and said all the three had participated in the Jhiram Ghati incident of May 23, 2013 in Bastar district.

“Dantewada superintendent of police (SP) Kamal Lochan Kashyap has been asked to furnish these details to National Investigation Agency (NIA) probing the Jhiram Ghati incident”, Mr Kalluri said.