Naxalites claim only two cadres died in Sukma encounter, cops say at least six killed

Bijapur: The outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoists) has claimed that only two of its cadres were killed in the Tekalgudem encounter in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district earlier this week, though the police said the death toll on the Naxalites' side was at least six.

The Naxalites were downplaying their casualties, a senior police official said on Saturday.

Three Central Reserve Police Force personnel, including two belonging to its specialized jungle warfare unit CoBRA, were killed and fifteen others injured in a fierce gun battle with Naxalites near Tekalgudem village on January 30.

The encounter took place when security personnel after setting up a new camp in Tekalgudem, a Maoist stronghold along Sukma-Bijapur districts border, were engaged in sanitising the area.

A two-page statement, issued in the name of Samta, spokesperson of the `south-sub zonal bureau' of Maoists, claimed that two Naxalites, including a woman, were killed in the encounter.

It identified the deceased as Madvi Manglo alias Raje, a woman section commander of company no. 2, and Madvi Bojja, member of battalion no. 1.

Raje, who hailed from Padeda village (Bijapur district), was associated with the banned outfit since 2008 while Bojja from Puvarti village (Sukma district) had joined the outfit in 2022, the statement added.

Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P said that Naxalites were trying to downplay their casualties.

"Maoists have suffered a huge setback in the Tekalgudem encounter. Our jawans fought bravely in spite of three casualties on our side. It appears that the Maoists have downplayed their casualties in order to ensure that their cadres don't get demoralized," the IG told PTI.

"We have reliable information about the death of more than six Naxal cadres in that incident and injuries to more than one dozen cadres, " he said.

"We reiterate our appeal to the local Naxal cadres to shun violence and join mainstream and be part of the positive changes that are happening to their region and native population," the IG said.