Bhubaneswar: Twelve of the 16 Naxalites, killed in a gunfight with security forces in a forest on Odisha-Chhattisgarh border area, have been identified as notorious extremists. One of the slain Maoists hailed from Cuttack in Odisha.
As per sources, the list of deceased Maoists includes Alok aka Munna, a top leader with a reward of Rs 18 lakh on his head. He was from Kulasri under Niali police limits in Cuttack district.
Other identified Naxals include Gudu, Bauribandhu, Sukhram, Satyam, Shankar, Rinki, Jaini, Kala, Rami, and Bijay.
The deceased mostly hailed from Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha and carried cash rewards of up to Rs 3 crore. Amongst those identified were prominent Central Committee members hailing from Odisha such as Chalapathi, Jairam, Satyam, Alok, and others.
Various state governments had announced specific bounties for him, making him a highly sought-after figure. The Chhattisgarh government had announced Rs 8 lakh on Alok’s head while Odisha and Andhra Pradesh both had set bounties of Rs 5L each.
Alok was notorious and very active among the Naxals. He had been adept at evading capture by the security forces and operated across the states of Chhattisgarh, Andhra Pradesh, and Odisha.
Similarly, Chalapathi, also a key figure, had the highest combined bounty of Rs 90L on his head. The Chhattisgarh government had announced Rs 40L bounty while Odisha and Andhra had announced Rs 25L each. The other Naxalites included Jairam and Satyam, each carrying Rs 25L bounty.
Despite this success in neutralising high-profile insurgents, investigations continue as authorities work to verify the identities of the remaining deceased individuals. This operation marks a significant triumph for security forces striving to combat Maoist activities in this volatile region, said an official.
