Gadchiroli, Feb 6: Seven Naxalites, including a high-ranking leader carrying a ₹25 lakh bounty, were killed during a prolonged three-day operation in the Gadchiroli district of eastern Maharashtra. Officials confirmed on Saturday that while the security forces successfully neutralized the group, one police jawan also died from injuries sustained during the intense gunfights.
The operation targeted Prabhakar, also known as Loketi Chandar Rao, who was the head of the Maoists’ Gadchiroli Division Committee and ‘Company No 10.’ Originally from Kamareddy in Telangana, Prabhakar was a primary target for the special forces. “Fourteen units of C-60 launched the operation near Phodewada village on the Narayanpur-Gadchiroli border,” the Gadchiroli Police mentioned in an official release.
The tactical move began on the night of February 3 following specific intelligence regarding the movement of Naxalite formations from Chhattisgarh. While three bodies were found on Thursday night, four additional bodies were recovered on Friday. Among the seven deceased were four males and three females. Security forces also seized a cache of high-grade weapons, including three AK-47 rifles, one SLR, and a .303 rifle.
The victory came at a heavy cost for the C-60 anti-Naxal force. Jawan Deepak Chinna Madavi, 38, died after being airlifted to a hospital in Bhamragad. Officials noted that Madavi had successfully neutralized two Maoists before being struck by a bullet. Another jawan, Joga Madavi, remains in stable condition at a hospital in Gadchiroli after receiving treatment for his injuries.
