In a significant operation, six Maoists including two women, were killed in an intense exchange of fire with police forces in Bhadradri Kothagudem district, Telangana, on Thursday. The encounter took place in a dense forest area under the Karakagudem police station limits, as confirmed by a senior police official.
The incident also saw two commandos from Telangana’s elite anti-Naxal unit, the Greyhounds, sustain injuries. They were swiftly airlifted and shifted to a hospital for medical treatment. The police indicated that their condition was stable.
The firefight broke out when special police teams, acting on intelligence reports, launched a combing operation in the area. According to sources, the Maoist group had reportedly crossed into Telangana from the neighbouring state of Chhattisgarh, prompting the police to intensify surveillance and tracking efforts in the region.
Upon encountering the police, the Maoist cadres opened fire, leading to a fierce gun battle that lasted several hours. When the exchange subsided, the bodies of six Maoists, including two women, were recovered from the site. Initial investigations revealed that among the dead was a senior Maoist leader, although his identity was still being verified by police.
In the aftermath of the encounter, the police recovered a significant cache of weapons, including six firearms—two AK-47 rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLRs), and other arms—along with ammunition and other materials believed to have been in the Maoists’ possession.
The operation was hailed as a major success in Telangana’s ongoing efforts to combat Maoist insurgency in the region. The state, which shares a border with Chhattisgarh, has long dealt with cross-border Maoist activity, with police forces regularly conducting combing operations and encounters to root out the insurgents.
Authorities are continuing their investigation to identify the slain Maoists, and additional security measures have been put in place in the district to prevent any retaliatory actions from Maoist groups.