Two women Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) were killed in an encounter with Security Forces (SFs) in a forest near Gorli-Mutheli villages under Katekalyan Police Station limits in Dantewada District of Chhattisgarh on March 15, reports The Hindu. Following specific inputs about the presence of cadres of Pedaras (Local Organisation Squad (LOS) and Katekalyan Area Committee formations of Maoists in the forests of Jiyakortha, Gorli, Mutheli and Danikortha villages along the border of Dantewada and Sukma Districts, a joint squad of personnel belonging to the District Reserve Guard (DRG) from Sukma and Dantewada, Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF)'s 230th battalion and Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) was sent to the area, wherein at around 11.30 am [IST], the gunfight broke out between Gorli and Mutheli. After the exchange of fire stopped, bodies of two women Maoists along with two 12 bore rifles and a country made weapon were recovered from the encounter spot. The slain Maoists were identified as Pedaras LOS ‘commander’ Manjula and Gangi Punem, a protection team member.
Six Communist Party of India-Maoist (CPI-Maoist) cadres surrendered in Sukma District of Chhattisgarh on March 15, as part of the police’s ‘Puna Narkom’ campaign to get Maoists back into the mainstream, reports The Print. Sukma, Superintendent of Police (SP), Sunil Sharma, identified the six surrendered Maoists as Kartam Kosa, Sodi Lakhma, Kawasi Deva, Kawasi Manga, Padam Somdu and Mandvi Ganga, all lower rungs functionaries of the CPI-Maoist. The SP informed, “They have laid down arms citing disappointment with the Maoist ideology and also due to our campaign called Puna Narkom (which means new dawn in the local Gondi dialect). Ganga has cases under IPC [Indian Penal Code] and Arms Act provisions, while others have also taken part in incidents of violence.”