On February 22, cadres of the Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) killed two villagers of Duled village in Konta Tahsil (revenue unit) under Chintagufa Police Station limits in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh, accusing them of being ‘police informers’, reports ommcomnews.com. The victims have been identified as Sodi Hunga and Madhvi Nanda, both residents of Duled village. The People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA), the military wing of the CPI-Maoist, claimed responsibility for killing the two villagers allegedly for working as ‘police informers’. At the same time, the extremists have held the Bharatiya Janata Party (BJP) government in Chhattisgarh responsible for the two deaths.
A Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) camp on the Bijapur-Dantewada border in Chhattisgarh was busted by Security Forces (SFs) following two encounters with the Maoists, reports NDTV on February 22. The operation was part of an anti-Naxal [Left Wing Extremism, LWE] operation launched by a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Bijapur and Dantewada, the Special Task Force (STF), and the 202nd battalion of the Central Reserve Police Force's (CRPF’s) elite Commando Battalion for Resolute Action (CoBRA) on February 20, an official said. The operation was launched following a tip-off about the presence of 70–80 Maoists of the 'Gangalur area committee' of the outlawed CPI-Maoist in the hills of Pidiya and Itawar villages on the Bijapur–Dantewada border, said Bijapur Superintendent of Police (SP) Jitendra Kumar Yadav. "Sensing the presence of the patrolling team, the Maoists opened indiscriminate fire near Itawar village on Wednesday [February 21]. They fled after security forces retaliated. Another gun battle took place near the jungle of Lendra-Korcholi villages when the security forces were returning," the SP said. He said a Maoist camp was busted, and items like uniforms, a solar plate, medicines, etc. were recovered. Blood stains at the spot suggest some Maoists were injured in the gun battle, but it seems their colleagues managed to take them away from the area, he added. Earlier, SATP had reported that an encounter took place between the SFs and the CPI-Maoist cadres in the forest of Pedia Hitwar in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on February 20.
An Indian flag was hoisted by Sukma District Police in south Bastar, and a security camp was also set up at Puvarti village in Sukma District, reports The New Indian Express on February 23. Puvarti is the dwelling of top elusive Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) leader Madvi Hidma, chief of the military unit of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion, and promoted as a ‘central committee (CC)’ member of the CPI-Maoist. Around 80–90 inhabitants of Puvarti village are present in the banned outfit at higher ranks across India. The Police endeavour to connect with the families of Maoist cadres with an appeal to convince them to renounce the outfit.