A massive anti-Naxal operation involving around 10,000 security personnel along the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border entered its fifth day on Friday, with the Maoists reportedly issuing a statement calling for a halt to the exercise and initiating "peace talks." The statement, circulating on social media, claims that the government is resorting to repression and violence despite the possibility of resolving the issue through dialogue. The operation, considered one of the largest counter-insurgency actions in the Bastar region, involves personnel from various units including the Chhattisgarh police, the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), and its elite CoBRA unit. The operation, launched on Monday in the densely forested hills of Karregutta and Durgamgutta along the inter-state border, is aimed at targeting PLGA battalion No. 1, the strongest military formation of the Maoists.
The Naxalites, 10 of whom are women, turned themselves in before senior officials of the state police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), he added.
If the threat from the 'Maovadis' (Maoists) is fading, the danger now lies with the 'MoUvadis' -- those who might exploit the resource-rich Abujhmad region through corporate or State-backed projects.
Eight Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Saturday. The gunfight broke out in the forest when District Reserve Guard and Special Task Force of the state police along with Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) were out on an anti-Naxalite operation. An Insas rifle and a barrel grenade launcher (BGL) were among the weapons recovered from the encounter site. This brings the total number of Naxalites killed in separate encounters in the state this year to 50.
Twelve Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday. The gunfight broke out in a forest area and lasted for several hours. Security forces involved in the operation included the state police's District Reserve Guard (DRG), CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), and the CRPF. No casualties were reported among security personnel. This brings the total number of Naxalites killed in the state this month to 26.
Seven Maoists were killed in an exchange of fire with police in a forest area in Mulugu district of Telangana on Sunday. The incident occurred during a combing operation in the forest area of Eturnagaram between Greyhounds, an elite anti-naxal force of Telangana Police and the ultras, police said. Among those killed was Kursam Mangu alias Bhadru, Secretary of Telangana State Committee (Yellandu Narsampet) of the banned CPI (Maoist).
The administration has introduced 'Maidan Cup' in collaboration with the Mann Deshi Foundation and Sachin Tendulkar Foundation, under which 50 playgrounds will be developed in Dantewada to boost sports culture and talent.
Twelve of the 16 Naxalites killed in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Gariaband district have been identified as dreaded ultras carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 3.13 crore, including a central committee member of the outlawed movement, a police official said. Among them was Chalpathi alias Jairam, a member of the central committee and Odisha state committee of the Communist Party of India (Maoist), who had a collective bounty of Rs 90 lakh on his head in Chhattisgarh, Odisha and Andhra Pradesh. It was the first time someone from the central committee, the main governing body of the proscribed outfit, has been eliminated in an encounter in Chhattisgarh. The encounter, which lasted three days, involved personnel from E-30 (a Gariaband district police unit), Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF), its elite unit CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action) and Odisha police's Special Operation Group (SOG).
BJP and RSS leaders are once again pushing to remove the words 'secular' and 'socialist' from the Constitution's Preamble, showing a deeper effort to change India's identity from a diverse, multi-religious republic to a Hindu-first nation, even though they don't have the numbers in Parliament to officially change the Constitution, observes N Sathiya Moorthy.
The operation took place at a time when Punjab, which shares 553 km of international border with Pakistan has been seeing a huge influx of consignments of heroin, arms and ammunition through drones and other means.
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Two Maoists -- a man and a woman -- were apprehended following a gun battle in a forest area in Wayanad, Kerala, late on Tuesday night, the police said.
Leaders who built and manage these incredible global companies cannot be tyrants, slave-drivers, or idiots. Essentially what they are saying falls under the definition of rallying the troops, inspirational talk, like the usual coach-speak with the team before a match, asserts Shekhar Gupta.
Security forces recovered two pistols, some ammunition from the slain militants, a defence source informed.
'Gyanendra back on the throne would be bad news for the Nepali people. He may not have learnt from his experience, but we have.'
The exchange of fire took place at around 6.45 am in the forest area of Mothe village under Karakagudem police station limits.
The alleged offences committed by personnel of one of the most elite forces of the country include molestation, rape with minors, beating up women, forcefully developing illicit relationship on fake identities, writing a letter using indecent and objectionable language and dowry harassment.
Nearly a year after the 26/11 terror strikes, 'Force One', an elite force formed on the lines of National Security Guards for the state's security, became operational on Tuesday.
Maharashtra's special security force of commandos, created to combat terror attacks, is expected to be ready in the next 60 days, Chief Minister Ashok Chavan said on Monday. The Force one, to be drawn from the state police, is expected to be on the lines of the elite National Security Guards and will be equipped with sophisticated weapons to tackle terror attacks like the recent Mumbai terror strikes.
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New Zealand's abrupt decision to pull out of their cricket tour of Pakistan has created "an unfortunate scenario" but the hosts know how to overcome such crises, the chairman of the country's cricket board Ramiz Raja said.
Bangladesh's police and paramilitary troops on Sunday night dispersed a huge demonstration by thousands of Islamist protesters after violent clashes in Dhaka left seven people dead and scores injured. "The Motijheel is now under our control. Hefazat-e-Islami has quit the area," a police spokesman told newsmen.
The incident took place on Wednesday night in Tarrem area when a joint team of security personnel was returning after an anti-Maoist operation in forests on the tri-junction of Bijapur-Sukma-Dantewada districts, a police official said in Bijapur.
All borders of the national capital will be sealed for the entry of commercial and heavy vehicles by Thursday midnight apart from heavy police deployment, they said.
Police personnel checked vehicles and conducted flag marches at various places in Punjab on Wednesday while central forces maintained a tight vigil in Tripura.
The Chhattisgarh police, however, said the claim seemed to be an attempt to mislead the local population, and the security forces never compromise on the safety of the local people during their operations.
Among the three slain personnel, two belonged to the CoBRA's 201st battalion and one to the CRPF's 150th battalion, a senior police officer said.
Ugandan Olympic runner Rebecca Cheptegei died after allegedly being doused in petrol and set alight by her former partner.
The recent terror acts are a sign of our enemy's desperation, he said, in an apparent reference to Pakistan.
CPRF women warriors are undergoing training and if they are cleared, they will be inducted into the specialised team.
Kashmir is at the cusp of a new beginning as the security situation in the Valley is "peaceful and stable" but reducing the footprints of security forces is not recommended at this stage, a top Army officer said here on Thursday.
In a separate incident, a commando of the Central Reserve Police Force's jungle warfare unit CoBRA was injured when a pressure improvised explosive device (IED), planted by Naxalites went off in the district, police said.
Nobel laureate Prof Mohammad Yunus, the designated head of Bangladesh's interim government, on Wednesday fervently appealed everybody 'to stay calm' and 'refrain from all kinds of violence' as the country witnessed a major reshuffle in the security establishment after the ouster of the Sheikh Hasina government.
According to officials, security has been tightened in Assam.
The clashes broke out this morning when protesters attending a non-cooperation programme to demand the government's resignation faced opposition from the supporters of the Awami League, Chhatra League, and Jubo League activists.
On Monday, five Army personnel were killed and five injured when heavily armed terrorists hurled a grenade and opened indiscriminate fire on two army vehicles around 3.30 pm on the Machedi-Kindli-Malhar mountainous road near Badnota village, about 150 km from the district headquarters Kathua.
The officials said the SSG will be "right-sized" by reducing the number of the elite force to the "bare minimum".
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