Hyderabad. There has been an encounter between police and Maoists in Bhadradri Kothagudem district of Telangana. Police killed six Maoists in the encounter. The incident took place near Raghunathpalem in Karakagudem Mandal near the border of Chhattisgarh. It is being told that some top Maoist leaders of Telangana are also among those killed.
However, two policemen also sustained bullet injuries during the encounter. Police said that due to sustained efforts of the last 10-15 years, left wing extremism has been completely eradicated in Telangana, but Maoists are still present in areas bordering neighbouring states like Chhattisgarh and Maharashtra. The encounter on Thursday is a big setback for the Maoists, who were trying to resume their activities in the state. The incident comes two days after security forces killed nine Maoists, including six women, in Chhattisgarh. These Maoists were killed in an anti-Naxal operation conducted on September 3 in the forests bordering Dantewada and Bijapur districts of Chhattisgarh. The joint operation involved Dantewada District Reserve Guards, Bastar Fighters and CRPF Battalions 111 and 230, who acted on intelligence about the presence of a large number of Maoists from PLGA Company No. 2, West Bastar Division and Darbha Division. According to information, Macherla Esobu, a top Maoist leader from Telangana, was also among those killed in the encounter in Chhattisgarh.