In an operation on the Chattisgarh-Maharashtra border, a significant development unfolded as a senior Naxal commander, identified as Durgesh Watti, who played a pivotal role as the chief conspirator behind the 2019 IED blast at Jambulkheda in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli, met his demise in an encounter with the police on Thursday.
The incident in May 2019 marked a tragic event when Naxals executed an IED blast at Jambulkheda, resulting in the destruction of a private transport pickup and claiming the lives of fifteen policemen along with the vehicle's driver. The intensity of the blast scattered body parts of the police officers as far as 800 meters from the epicenter, leaving a crater with dimensions of approximately 30 feet in depth and over 30 feet in diameter.
The recent encounter took place following credible intelligence indicating the presence of a substantial Naxal contingent near Bodhintola on the Chattisgarh border, approximately 10 kilometers from Godalwahi. The Naxals were reportedly planning to ambush police forces and target tribals, branding them as police informers, as per Neelotpal, the Superintendent of Police in Gadchiroli.
In response to this intelligence, police teams were swiftly deployed for a search operation in the area. The operation took a confrontational turn when the police personnel were fired upon indiscriminately by the Naxals, leading to an hour-long exchange of gunfire. The aftermath revealed the recovery of two Naxal bodies, one of whom was identified as Durgesh Watti, the Deputy Commander of Kasansur Dalam and a key conspirator in the 2019 Gadchiroli blast. The deceased Naxals were found in possession of an AK47 and a SLR weapon.
Currently, authorities are conducting further operations and intensifying the search in the region, underscoring the ongoing efforts to address and neutralize threats posed by Naxal activities in the border areas between Chattisgarh and Maharashtra.
