Bastar encounter: Maoist toll hits 18; top commander Vella among dead

RAIPUR: Maoist casualties successful Wednesday’s cognition by information unit successful Chhattisgarh’s Bastar portion roseate to 18 aft six much bodies, including wanted PLGA commandant Vella Modiyam, were retrieved Thursday from the gunfight tract on the Dantewada-Bijapur border.Nine of the slain guerrillas, who had a combined bounty of Rs 1.3 crore connected their heads, were women. Three information unit were killed successful the fighting. The cognition dealt what constabulary said was a decisive stroke to the Maoist citadel successful Gangaloor. “Vella, aka Mangu Modiyam, was the Maoists’ operational and quality commandant successful Gangaloor and progressive successful aggregate crimes, including the sidesplitting of a minor, a pupil and a villager successful Peddakorma,” Bastar IGP Sundarraj said.CM Vishnu Deo Sai lauded the unit progressive successful the operation, saying the bravery of the trio killed successful enactment “won’t spell successful vain”. His lawman Vijay Sharma said Naxalism successful Chhattisgarh was present connected its “last legs”, with forces engaged successful a mop-up crossed Bastar.