Sporadic firing between security forces and Naxals continued on Friday morning in Gariaband district, nearly 10 hours after a fierce encounter left senior commander and Central Committee (CC) member Manoj alias Modem Balkrishna, along with nine others, dead.
Officials said joint teams of Gariaband E-30, Special Task Force (STF), and CoBRA commandos remain at the site. Ten weapons have been recovered so far in addition to the neutralisation of the Naxals.
Raipur Range Inspector General Amresh Mishra confirmed on Thursday that intermittent exchanges of fire were still underway, adding that more casualties among Naxals were likely.
In a separate incident on the Kanker–Narayanpur border, security forces killed another Naxal, identified as a member of the PLGA Military Company 05, who carried a reward of ₹8 lakh. A .303 rifle and a walkie-talkie were seized from the encounter site at Gedabeda village under Partapur police station limits.
Bastar Range Inspector General Sundarraj P commended the forces for their commitment despite harsh terrain and weather conditions. He urged Maoist cadres to abandon violence and join the mainstream under government rehabilitation schemes. “Maoism is on the verge of ending. Those who continue illegal activities will face severe consequences,” he said.
Recently, 30 Naxals surrendered in Bijapur district and were rehabilitated under state policies, officials noted.