Exclusive: Soldier Describes 4-Hour Operation Resulting in Deaths of 29 Maoists

On the night of April 15, a search party from the Border Security Force (BSF) and the District Reserve Guard (DRG) were on patrol in the dense jungles of Hapatola in the Kanker district of Chhattisgarh. The personnel from different command stations had linked up to execute one of the biggest operations against the Maoists in recent times.

The search and cordon operation, including a fierce gun battle, lasted for more than 15 hours, leaving 29 Maoists dead, including their top commander, Shankar Rao, who had a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head. Three personnel were injured – Two from the BSF and one from the DRG, and the operation was declared a success.

BSF Sub Inspector Ramesh Chandra Chaudhary explained how his platoon was the first to be shot at by the Maoists. Despite suffering bullet injuries, he continued to direct his troops during the gun battle.

By the morning of Tuesday, they had laid a cordon and had intelligence that Maoists were present in the jungle. Although they initially thought the Maoists would be present at the first point, they found them at another spot, where cooking utensils indicated their presence.

The Maoists, armed with Kalashnikovs, Light Machine Guns, rifles like INSAS, and other automatic weapons, were observed by the patrol. In the uphill battle, the troops from DRG and BSF meticulously planned their ascent and surrounded the Maoists.

The teams camouflaged with the surroundings and cornered the Maoists to lay a cordon. As the Maoists ran for cover and opened fire, the troops retaliated with a heavy response.

The dense jungle turned into a battleground during the operation. BSF Sub Inspector Chaudhary, despite being injured, continued to observe and guide his troops.

Another personnel from the DRG, Suryakant Shrimali, also recalled how his team laid a cordon from two sides to ambush the Maoists. The battle lasted for almost four hours and ultimately ended successfully.

The officer hails from Jaipur, and his family was present with him in the hospital. Despite being injured, the officers demonstrated bravery during the encounter.

The personnel fired back to break the ambush and successfully completed the operation.