Maharashtra Timeline 2018

Date

Incidents

January 10

A QRT of the Gadchiroli Police killed a CPI-Maoist cadre in an encounter in Tadapalli forest area in Gadchiroli District. "The incident took place between 4.30 PM to 5 PM when the QRT team was conducting a combing operation in the Tadapalli forest area," the Gadchiroli Police said in a release issued on January 11. It said the Maoists opened fire on troopers who retaliated. The QRT found the body of the Maoist when they conducted a search operation after the rebels fled the spot. Police also recovered a 0.303 rifle and four cartridges from the spot. "The deceased Maoist is yet to be identified," the release added.

The ATS of the Maharashtra Police arrested seven CPI-Maoist cadres identified as Ajay Dosri alias Krishna Lingaya alias Venugopal (40), Shankarayya, Babushankar Banguri, Narsayya, Ravi Marpalli, Ramesh Golala and Satyanarayan alias Sataya from various places in Thane District. ATS officials received a tip-off that one of the key members of CPI-Maoist would arrive in Kalyan and arrested Venugopal from Kalyan railway station. Police teams were dispatched and six CPI-Maoist cadres were arrested from Vikhroli, Ghatkopar and Dombivli (east), after the interrogation of Venugopal. The Police claimed the CPI-Maoist cadres were indoctrinating youths in slum pockets and collecting finances for the GCC, which includes Maharashtra and Gujarat and seized Naxal literature and documents. CPI-Maoist cadres were led by Venugopal, 'district committee secretary' in CPI -Maoist, who was underground for 20 years. He was active in trade unions in Mumbai to spread CPI-Maoist ideology and carrying a reward of INR 8 00,000 announced by Telangana Government. He is booked under the UAPA, 2008, and remanded in Police custody, said DCP (ATS) Mohan Dahikar.

Senior CPI-Maoist cadres in Gadchiroli District seem to be taking their setbacks seriously, as they are now conducting analysis after every incident. It was said that the reds are also threatening villagers of adjoining hamlets of dire consequences if they are found leaking information to SFs. A District source claimed that senior cadres of Maoists had come to the forest of Palle in Aheri sub-division to conduct a ground-zero reality check, a couple of days ago. They were there to collect insight into the firing incident, in which one of their formations was cornered around a fortnight ago. Though there was no casualty on their side, the camp had to withdraw following mounting pressure of the C-60 personnel, leaving behind substantial material of daily use and also literature, which had information about their outfits and cadres involved in various activities.

The rebels had also ensured that a few villagers from adjacent hamlets, like Rahpalli, Kurumpalli and also Palle, were assembled at the forest where the firing on them had taken place. The Maoist cadres, through their supporters and militias, had ensured that none of the hamlets were left unrepresented. The villagers were thoroughly quizzed by senior cadres, who tried to collect every fine details of the incident, including movement of the SFs, position of the rebels' camp that was stormed, the directions from which the SF personnel had entered the forest and such details. The Maoists also tried to pressurize the villagers to share with them possible names of 'Police informers' or SPO who work as volunteers for an honorarium in each village. SP, Gadchiroli, Abhinav Deshmukh, said the Maoists are known to conduct such analysis and record them for future reference. "They mostly try to find out the police volunteers to choke our information system and also gauge our movements," he said

The Nagpur bench of Bombay High Court rejected the bail pleas of Prashant Rahi alias Narayan Sanglikar, and Vijay Tirki, both close associates of Delhi University (DU) Assistant Professor G.N. Saibaba, charged under the UAPA for alleged CPI-Maoist links, who challenged their conviction by Gadchiroli sessions court on March 7 last year. A division bench comprising justices Ravi Deshpande and Murlidhar Giratkar relied on the prosecution theory that "there was sufficient evidence to prove their involvement in Maoist activities".

A three-member action team of the CPI-Maoist killed Irpa Usendi, cousin to DVCM and 'commander' of Perimili LGS Sainath, at a busy weekly market in Etapalli taluka in Gadchiroli District. Usendi, who was one of the accused in the case of arson at the site of Surjagarh mining project of Lloyds' Mining and Energy Limited when 80 vehicles were set ablaze by the Maoists on December 30, 2016. The rebels had strewn pamphlets over the body in which they had labelled him as 'Police informer'. Usendi, along with another person identified as Raja Rajasthani, worked as labour contractors at the mining site. He was initially quizzed by the Police for his role in the arson but was not arrested. In February in 2017 Usendi was arrested carrying cash INR 400,000 in a vehicle during a joint checking of Police and Revenue Department prior to the elections. After Usendi failed to explain the source of the cash, he was booked for being a conduit between the mining company representatives and the Maoists. He was later released on bail. Usendi had been under scanner of the SFs as a covert Maoist sympathizer as he had a habit of flaunting his connections to the top rebel leader.

The C-60 personnel of Gadchiroli Police exchanged fire with CPI-Maoist cadres during an inspection of the area in Kumadpar forest area in Gadchiroli District. The Police recovered one .303 rifle, two 12-bore rifles and other Naxal material after CPI-Maoist cadres fled into the jungle, said Police.

Over 30 percent of the 4,600 bulletproof jackets received by Maharashtra Police failed the AK-47 bullet test during trials. The jackets returned to a Kanpur-based manufacturing firm were from three different batches. The jackets are primarily meant to be used by Police Personnel during anti-Maoist operations in Gadchiroli District of Maharashtra and in other areas, the QRT of Mumbai Police and the Force One, the elite commando force raised after the 2008 terror strikes. The State Police started receiving the jacket consignments in the last quarter of 2017. "We have sent back 1,430 bulletproof jackets to the manufacturer as they did not pass our test with AK-47 bullets," said ADGP, Procurement and Coordination, V V Laxminarayana

The Kasansur LOS, a formation of the CPI-Maoist in South Gadchiroli killed Police Warden (patil) Katiya Peka Pungati (Kumoti) (55) outside Lanji village in Etapalli Taluka in Gadchiroli District. He was abducted and his dead body was found with his throat slit, and the face and head smashed with a stone, outside Lanji village. The letter of CPI-Maoist cadres considered Pungati to be a 'Police Informer'. The Kasansur Dalam, led by 'commander' Mahesh Gota, has claimed that they held Pungati responsible for the information of their presence in the forest of Tadapalli in Etapalli on January 10, 2018.Pungati had gone to his farm along with son, daughter-in-law and wife to guard the crop. Pungati's wife had a verbal tiff with the armed CPI-Maoist cadres when they came in a group of around 15 to take him away. She tried to challenge them, but was overpowered by the CPI-Maoist cadres. Pungati did not return later and the body was discovered outside the village, said ASP, Mahesh Reddy.

The Committee for Integration and Co-ordination under the Unified Command Mechanism, headed by Maharashtra CM formed to ensure multi-agency co-ordination for faster decision making and implementation of various projects. As per the directions of the committee, Home Department has announced a decision to offer a job to one family member of each of the 'Police Informants' killed by the Naxal in Gadchiroli District. It will definitely provide a boost to not only the moral of the civilians but also the Police force. This will strengthen the network of the Police, and also boost confidence of other departments to carry out developmental works. The latest decision sends out a message that the Government is firmly supporting the family of the civilians killed by the Naxals, said Ankush Shinde, DIG, Gadchiroli Range.

The armed group of around 10-15 CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze a huge area in forest compartment number 66 at Talwada coup in Allapalli Tehsil of south Gadchiroli in Gadchiroli District. The PAC of CPI-Maoist put up a banner threatening the forest department to stop its work. The CPI-Maoist banner warns the department to discontinue sending personnel inside the forest or else there would be serious consequences. There were many pamphlets found with similar contents against the Police and forest departments. The CPI-Maoist cadres have also cautioned to the forest department not to deprive the local tribal population of their rights on the land and natural resources. Maoists are expected to step up their ante as part of their TCOC programmes, which stretches across around three months, said Police.

A surrendered CPI-Maoist cadre, identified as Talwar Madavi (24), was killed allegedly by the Maoists, in the forest near Darachi village under Dhanora tehsil in Gadchiroli District. Madavi, native of Nadekal in Korchi tehsil was residing at Darachi village in Dhanora tehsil after surrendering before the Police in 2013. As per the preliminary information, Madavi was woken up from sleep around midnight and was dragged outside his house by a group of 10-12 armed Maoists and was then shot dead. Maoists allegedly killed their former colleague on suspicion that he was acting as a 'Police informer', a senior Police officer said.

A woman Maoist was killed in an encounter with the Police near Kotmi village in Etapalli tehsil in Gadchiroli District. The incident took place around 3.30 pm when a team of the anti-Maoist C-60 commando forces was conducting a combing operation in Mouza Mendhari forest area, a Police official said. The Maoists opened fire on the commandos, leading to a gun-battle, he said. After the Maoists retreated, body of a woman Maoist was found, along with a rifle and some explosive material. The woman cadre was yet to be identified, the Police official said.

The woman CPI-Maoist cadre killed in an alleged encounter with Police in Gadchiroli District on March 25 was identified as Pali alias Jhunki Mangu Dorpati. Dorpati, a resident of Jharewada village in Gadchiroli District, was carrying a reward of INR 400,000 on her head a Nagpur Police official said. Dorpati had eight serious cases pending against her, and had been working with Naxal company no. 4 before she was transferred to platoon no. 3.

Five cadres of the CPI-Maoist, including two couples, surrendered to the Police in Gadchiroli District. Those surrendered were identified as company 'commander' Sainu alias Margu Velda and platoon 'commander' Rupi alias Jhuri Narote, Arjun Naresh Barsai Poya, Chaya alias Raje Devi, and Vinu alias Ramnath Bijou Sundar Kovachi. The surrendered Maoists have confessed to being involved in activities such as blasts, abductions, and encounters, Police said.

Body of an unidentified CPI-Maoist cadre was recovered by C-60 commandos following an encounter at Humdi forest near Kotmi in Etapalli taluka in Gadchiroli District. Two rifles, daily need essentials and Naxal propaganda literature too have been seized from the place after the encounter. According to a senior official, there was information regarding location of Tippagarh and Kasansoor Dalams near Humdi forest and its surrounding hamlets following which the C-60 commandos were sent from Gadchiroli Police headquarters. Maoists opened fire on seeing the advancing SFs which triggered retaliation by the C60 commandos leading to the encounter death. SP, Gadchiroli (in-charge), A Raja, said identification of the slain Maoist would lead us to conclude exactly which formation did he belong to.

The CPI-Maoist cadres set the Forest Department's wood depot on fire in Gadchiroli District. A massive fire was seen spread out across the area, due to which, millions of woods and forest possessions kept there reduced to ashes. It is being alleged that in this depot the Forest Department was collecting and depositing the wooden logs. But this caused villagers and Maoists to object there.

The C-60 commandos of the Gadchiroli Police and personnel from Battalion 9 of the CRPF killed 16 CPI-Maoist cadres, including a few women, in Boria jungle in Bhamragad tehsil of Gadchiroli District. The massive encounter broke out between the SFs and Maoists operating in Boria jungle, when the anti-Naxal squad of Gadchiroli Police launched a combing operation in thick jungles located in vicinity of Tadgaon range of Bhamragad tehsil at 7 am. The Maoists opened fire against the C-60 commandos, prompting the latter to retaliate. "We have recovered 16 bodies of Maoists from the Boria-Tadgaon jungles. There are a few women among those killed in the encounter. Our combing operations are continuing in search of more bodies," a senior officer of the Gadchiroli police said.

CPI-Maoist cadres of four groups - Perimili dalam, Aheri dalam, Company 10 and Platoon 14 - had gathered for a meeting when the forces took on them, sources said. Prominent Maoists among those killed in the encounter were identified as Shinu alias Shrikant alias Vijedhar Narasimhulu Rao (51), a resident of Challagariga, a village in Warangal District of Telangana and Sainath alias Dolesh Modi Atram (36), a resident of Gattepalli in Aheri taluka of Gadchiroli District. Both, Shinu and Sainath were Maoists' south Gadchiroli 'divisional committee members, DCM'. The identities of the remaining slain Maoists are yet to be ascertained. "We have recovered a sizeable chunk of weapons including rifles and ammunition from the Maoists killed in the encounter. The weapons recovered from the site included a two AK-47 rifles and one INSAS rifle," a Police officer involved in the anti-Naxal operation said.

SFs have killed six CPI-Maoist cadres in an encounter at Rajaram Khanla village in Aheri Tehsil in Gadchiroli District. The deceased CPI-Maoist cadres in encounter include 'Dalam Commander' identified as Nandu. The exchange of fire took place between Damrancha and Rajaram Khanla, said ASP, Maheshwar Reddy.

11 decomposing and bloated bodies of deceased CPI-Maoist cadres, including two women, killed in an encounter with SFs, were spotted floating in the waters of Indravati River at the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border in Gadchiroli District. These 11 bodies were likely among the ones that could not be traced on after the encounter on April 22, said Senior Police officials. Some weapons too could be spotted with the bodies. The total fatalities of CPI-Maoist cadres have increased to 27 in April 22 encounter. The Police have recovered two AK47s, two SLR guns, one .303 rifle, five 8 mm bolt action and six 12 bore guns from the encounter spot. Eleven of the deceased CPI-Maoist cadres have been identified. They include three women and eight men. The deceased CPI-Maoist cadres identified on April 22 are 'divisional committee members' Sainath and Srinu and Akhila, women cadre. The other deceased CPI-Maoist cadres identified are Rajesh Navade, Suman Koreti (18), Shantabai Pada (31), Nagesh Narote (32), Tirupati Pungati (24), Shrikant Narote (23), Raju Veladi (29), Sunno Gawde (44) and Anita Madavi (24). Shantabai Pada was Aheri Dalam 'commander'.

SFs recovered 15 dead bodies of CPI-Maoist cadres, including eight women from Indravati River near to the encounter spot in Gadchiroli District. SFs and CPI-Maoist cadres exchanged fire on April 22 in Kasansur area of Gadchiroli District. The total number of CPI-Maoist cadres killed in this encounter is 31. Similarly, a total of 37 CPI-Maoist cadres were killed in two encounters in Gadchiroli District in last three days. One INSAS rifle was also recovered during the search operation on April 24 by SFs and there is a possibility that some senior Maoist leaders could be among the dead Maoists. The search operation has been intensified in the area, said, Sharad Shelar, The IG of Maharashtra Police's Anti-Naxal Operations unit. In the second encounter at Jimulgatta area of Gadchiroli District on April 23, SFs recovered one SLR, one INSAS assault rifle, and three other weapons were recovered from the spot of this encounter. Of the total 37 dead Maoists, 19 were women. Police have identified 16 bodies so far and the identity of 21 bodies is yet to be ascertained. These 16 Maoists carried a combined reward of INR 10.6 million. These encounters have eliminated four out of five 'Divisional Committee Members' of the CPI-Maoist in Gadchiroli, said Police statement.

SFs have recovered two more dead bodies of CPI-Maoist cadres, including a woman, were found in the Indravati River near Kasnasur in Gadchiroli District. The total count of the killed CPI-Maoist cadres increased to 39 in the two encounters on April 22 and April 23. However, the total CPI-Maoist cadres fatalities from April 22 encounter increased to 33 with recovery of two more bodies. SFs have identified 18 CPI-Maoist cadres and returned the bodies of nine Maoists to their relatives for last rites, said Police.

C-60 personnel recovered one dead body of CPI-Maoist cadre from the Indravati river bed in Gadchiroli District. The death toll in twin Naxal encounters increased to 40. The Police also recovered an AK-47 rifle with highly decomposed body of a Maoist. There were 20 women in the total of 40 CPI-Maoist cadres killed in twin encounters. The Police have identified 18 identified bodies of CPI-Maoist cadres and handed over 13 bodies to the family members. The four DVC members killed in the encounters are Shinu alias Shrikant alias Vijendar Narasimhulu rao (51), 'chief of South Gadchiroli Naxal unit', Sainath alias Dolesh Madi Atram (36),Perimeli Dalam 'commander', Raju alias Ramesh Naresh Kutke (29), Gatta Dalam 'commander' and Shantabai alias Mangali Pada (31), Aheri Dalam 'commander', said Police.

CPI-Maoist cadre identified as Jyoti alias Raveena Joga Pudyami (26), a resident of Shirakunta of Bijapur District, surrendered before the Gadchiroli, SP, in Gadchiroli District. Pudyami joined the CPI-Maoist activities in Bhopalpattanam Dalam in 2009, was also a 'deputy commander' of Mangi Dalam of Telangana. She was carrying a reward of INR 400,000 on her head.

CPI-Maoist cadres killed a civilian identified as Pandorang Pada (45), branding him as a 'Police Informer' at Horekasa village in Dhanora Tehsil of Gadchiroli District. He was forcefully taken away despite his wife, daughter and villagers trying to stop the CPI-Maoist cadres before being shot dead. Pada was blamed by CPI-Maoist cadres for the death of cadre Rajita in an encounter in May 2016, said Police.

CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze two trucks belonging to a private transporter at the outskirts of Gatta village, in the limits of Mulchera Police Station, around 70 kilometers from Gadchiroli town in Gadchiroli District. CPI-Maoist cadres also thrashed the drivers and left posters after setting the vehicles on fire. CPI-Maoist pamphlets have called for a bandh in the District on May 10 to protest the killing of their cadres in the two encounters at Boriya-Kasnasur and Nainer forests. A strike call was also issued for May 4, against actions in Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana-Andhra Pradesh.

Three CPI-Maoist cadres identified as Rajita alias Siroti Madhuram Kurchami (26), Jitendra alias Pardeshi Bajirao Pada (21) and Tirupati alias Penta Sura Veladi (20) with a collective reward of INR 800,000 on their head, surrendered before the Gadchiroli SP, Abhinav Deshmukh in Gadchiroli District. Rajita joined CPI-Maoist in 2010 and was involved in six Police encounters; two killings, set ablaze and the State Government announced a reward of INR 200,000 for her capture. Tirupati, joined CPI-Maoist in June 2016, was involved in a major Police encounter and other crimes for which he carried a reward of INR 400,000 on his head. Jitendra, who joined CPI-Maoist in 2017, is wanted in several major crimes and carried a reward of INR 200,000 on his head, said Police official.

CPI-Maoist cadres set ablaze firewood depot of FDCM at Mulchera in Gadchiroli District, during the Bandh called by CPI-Maoist. They also destroyed documents in an adjacent check-post, blocked the road between Adange and Surjagad and distributed Naxal pamphlets on the Etapalli-Kasansur Road. CPI-Maoist cadres issued threats to the forest department personnel to stop venturing deep and warned them to stop work. They have set 400-500 non-teak varieties of wood on fire. The loss reported by depot is around INR 500,000. They are also manhandled the guard of the firewood depot. Maoist banners and pamphlets highlighted Bandh in May 25 by CPI-Maoist is to protest against the killings of their cadres and villagers in fake encounters in Maharashtra and Chhattisgarh in April 2018. The CPI-Maoist cadres blocked a road between Koti and Bhamragadh by felling trees near Kier village and also erected banners across trees. Similarly, Maoists blocked Adange-Surjagadh road by felling trees and tying banners on them in Gadchiroli District.

Maharashtra Police intercepted an internal communication of CPI-Maoist, which revealed that they were planning a 'Rajiv Gandhi-type' assassination of PM, Narendra Modi. Police recovered a letter from the residence of one of the five persons arrested in connection with the Bhima-Koregaon violence. The establishment of BJP Governments in more than 15 States will mean immense trouble for the CPI-Maoist on all fronts. Police recovered pen drive, hard disk and some other documents from the arrested and sent to forensic investigation.

Five Urban CPI-Maoist cadres identified as Sudhir Dhawale, Rona Wilson, Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling were arrested by Pune Police from different places in India. The Police arrested Sudhir Dhawale from Mumbai, Rona Wilson from Delhi and Shoma Sen, Mahesh Raut and Surendra Gadling from Nagpur District, after initially conducting raids on some of the members on April 17. Police have claimed that all five were involved in funding the Elgaar Parishad with money from Maoist organisations and part of spreading Maoist ideology in the urban area. They were booked under the UAPA. Police found emails and documents tracing the money trail. The incriminating letter from CPI-Maoist 'CC member', identified only as 'Comrade M' lauded the success of Elgaar Parishad and also talked about setting up more fact-finding committees, creating new passwords for communication, and of a meeting of Maoist sympathisers in London, Capital of the UK that would be attended by a Swedish delegation, said Police.