Jheeram Ghati Massacre accused as prime suspect in January 30 Naxal attack with motive to force closure of police camp

The Jheeram Ghati Massacre accused has emerged as the main suspect in the January 30 Sukma Naxal attack that killed three people and injured 14 others.

According to eyewitnesses, a group of 500 to 1,000 PLGA members led by Deva Barse, chairman of the Dandakaranaya Special Regional Committee, attacked the Central Reserve Police Force and the Central Reserve Police Force in Tekalguda, Sukma Province. Combined force of state police. According to police, the attack was aimed at preventing the opening of a camp in the heart of Maoist territory.

Balth, 46, was recently appointed as the battalion commander of the 1st Battalion of the People’s Liberation Army, one of the most notorious battalions of the CPI (Maoist) military wing.

Born in Purvati, a village in Madhvihidhima, Bals was one of the most notorious Naxalites in modern times and his status continued to rise. He was allegedly a member of the CPI (Maoist) assassins who attacked a Congress convoy in Jheeram Ghati in May 2013. The attack wiped out the entire state Congress party leadership ahead of the assembly elections. The Chhattisgarh government has announced a reward of Rs 8 lakh for information about Basel.

Tuesday’s attack

On January 30, a police camp was commissioned in Kalguda village of Sukmat. A joint team of COBRA, STF and DRG arrived in Tekalguda around 9 am. The group began patrolling near the camp as part of an area control exercise. Around 11:30, nearly 500 PLGA members suddenly attacked the patrol team between Jonaguda and Aliguda areas.

According to survivors, the Naxalites hurled ‘desi’ bombs at the police force, killing three CRPF personnel instantly. AK-47 rifles, sniper rifles and automatic fire from UBGL were also targeted at the troops. Survivors said there were still a large number of grenades that had not exploded, otherwise the casualty toll would have been higher.

“The aim was to force the coalition forces to retreat and close the camp. But the army’s strong retaliation caused the Naxalites to retreat and use the jungles and hills of the area as cover.” According to eyewitnesses, the conflict lasted more than four hours. , and female members of the People’s Liberation Army remain at the forefront of the attacks. Local village women were also allegedly used as human shields by the Naxalites.

At least 14 CRPF and state police personnel were injured, but police believe Naxalites also suffered heavy casualties. “At least six Naxalites were killed, but the number could be more,” IG Bastar P Sundar Raj said.

meaning of location

Tekalguda is only about four kilometers away from Purvati (Madvi Hidma village). The former commander of the People’s Liberation Army’s 1st Battalion became notorious for his daring attacks on troops over the past few years. The elusive Maoist was recently elevated to the Central Committee, the decision-making body of the Communist Party of India (Maoist).

It is said that Hidma’s operations have multiple layers of protective cover, and the inner circle is a well-trained and most trustworthy special assassination team. The outermost circle is made up of local villagers, who will sound the alarm once the police show up.

In 2021, coalition forces attempted to capture Tekalguda but were severely defeated. In one operation, around 400 Maoists opened fire on them and a total of 23 personnel were killed.

Officials told CNN-News18 that a police camp so close to Naxalite territory would pose an existential threat to the Maoists. “The fact that the coalition forces did not retreat even after Tuesday’s attack and the camps are still functioning is a heavy blow to the Naxalites,” an official of the Central Reserve Police Force said.

The Tekalguda camp was crucial to the government’s plans to complete its domination of the Donapal-Jalghargonda axis. The route has long been devoid of any government presence, allowing the Maoists to run free. Dornapal-Jagargunda, Injaram-Beji and Chintagufa-Pidmel are the three axes along which Multiple camps have been set up along three axes to dislodge the Maoists ruling the area.