Mumbai/Gadchiroli: A top CPI (Maoist) Central Committee Member Milind Teltumbde — who carried a booty of Rs 50 lakh — is among the 26 Maoists, including 4 women, who were gunned down by the security forces in Gadchiroli district, Maharashtra Home Minister Dilip Walse-Patil said here Sunday.
They include at least four women Maoists, 13 carrying huge rewards on their heads and at least three Commanders of various Dalams active in the Naxal-infested district and surroundings — making it one of the most successful security operations in recent years. The operation was held Saturday.
The prominent Commanders who have been eliminated include: Kishan alias Jaiman of Korchi Dalam and Sannu alias Kovachi of Kasansur Dalam, Lokesh alias Mangu Podyam of Company No. 4.
Besides Teltumbde with a reward of Rs 50 lakh, Mangu Podyam alias Lokesh carried a booty of Rs 20 lakh, and Shivaji Ravji Gota alias Mahesh with Rs 16 lakh on his head.
Those who carried lower amounts of rewards include: Kishen alias Jaiman and Sannu alias Kovachi (both Rs 8 lakh), and Tilak Manku Jade alias Bhagatsingh alias Pradeep (Rs 6 lakh).
The others are: Manso Sukhram Boga alias Vimla, Dalsu Raju Gota alias Bandu, Dalpat Lalsai Kachlami alias Pramod, Musakhi alias Kosa, Sadhu Sonu Boga alias Prakash, Lacchhu, Dilip Hirooram Tulayi alias Navluram (all Rs 4 lakh) and Chetan Pada Rs 2 lakh).
The security forces recovered a large cache of arms and ammunition comprising 5 AK-47 rifles, 5 SLRs, three mm pistols, an INSAS gun, a 12-bore gun, and a .303 rifle, besides other weapons.
The encounter, spread over Saturday early hours to late afternoon or more than 12 hours, is one of the biggest with 16 C-60 Commandos and over 500 personnel participating in the operation in the dense forests on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh borders.
The high fatalities notwithstanding another 70-plus extremists are reported to have fled under cover of darkness as many of their associates fell to the bullets of the security forces.