New Delhi

Union Home Minister and Minister of Cooperation Amit Shah hailed security forces for achieving a major victory against the Naxalites in Narayanpur along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border on Monday.

In a post on the X platform, Amit Shah said, "Today, our security forces have achieved another major victory against the Naxalites. In the Abujhmad region of Narayanpur along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, our forces eliminated two Central Committee Member Naxal leaders - Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy alias Kosa, Katta Ramchandra Reddy. Both neutralised Naxal leaders had a bounty of Rs 40 lakh each on their heads. Our security forces are systematically dismantling the top leadership of the Naxals, breaking the backbone of red terror."

Two Central Committee members, Naxal leaders Katta Ramachandra Reddy and Kadri Satyanarayan Reddy, were eliminated by security forces in the Abujhmad region of Narayanpur along the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border.

Bastar IG P Sundarraj said that the security forces have continued their operation following intelligence about the presence of Maoists in the area.

"Following intelligence about the presence of cadres from the banned Maoist organisation in the Abujhmad area of Narayanpur district near the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border, the security forces continued their operation. During the operation today, there were multiple encounters between Maoists and security forces," he said.

The senior police officer said that during the search of the area, the bodies of two Maoists, along with an AK-47 and an INSAS rifle and other weapons and ammunition, were recovered.

"The security forces are continuing their ongoing anti-Naxal operations," he said.

He also stated that decisive operations against the banned Maoist outfit have delivered a major setback to the organisation.

The killed Maoists have been identified as Central Committee Members Raju Dada alias Katta Ramachandra Reddy (aged 63 years) and Kosa Dada alias Kadari Satyanarayana Reddy (aged 67 years), both carrying a reward of Rs 40 lakh each in Chhattisgarh state. Both were residents of Karimnagar, Telangana.

Officials said that a BGL launcher, a large quantity of explosives, Maoist literature, and other items were also recovered from the encounter site.

Superintendent of Police Narayanpur, Robinson, earlier informed that based on intelligence inputs regarding the Maoist movement in the Abujhmarh region along the Chhattisgarh-Maharashtra border, security forces launched a search operation in the area.

Officials said despite difficult terrain and adverse weather, the police and security forces in Bastar remain steadfast in their commitment, working in line with the vision of the Centre, Chhattisgarh government and the aspirations of the people of Bastar.

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Both Central Committee members, Raju Dada and Kosa Dada, were active "in the Dandakaranya Special Zonal Committee for over three decades" and were masterminds behind numerous violent incidents, leading to the killing of security personnel and loss of innocent civilian lives in the region, officials said.