A Jheeram Ghati Massacre accused has emerged as the prime suspect in the Sukma Naxal attack of January 30 which killed three personnel and injured 14 others.
As per eyewitness accounts, Dandakaranaya special zonal committee chief Deva Barse led a group of 500-1,000 PLGA members in the attack on joint forces of CRPF and state police in Tekalguda, Sukma. The aim of the attack, as per the police, was to prevent operationalisation of a camp in the heart of Maoist territory.
Barse, 46, was recently appointed the head of PLGA Battalion One — one of the most notorious battalions of the CPI (Maoist)’s military wing.
Born in Purvati, the village of Madvi Hidma — one of the most notorious Naxals in recent times — Barse has risen through the ranks. He was allegedly part of CPI (Maoist) assassins who attacked a Congress convoy in Jheeram Ghati in May 2013. The attack had wiped off the entire state Congress leadership ahead of assembly elections. The Chhattisgarh government has announced a reward of Rs 8 lakh for any information on Barse.
Tuesday’s attack
On January 30, a police camp was operationalised in Tekalguda village of Sukma. At around 9am, a joint team of COBRA, STF, and DRG reached Tekalguda. As part of the area domination exercises, the team started patrolling the vicinity of the camp. At around 11.30, close to 500 PLGA members swooped upon the patrolling party in between Jonaguda and Aliguda areas.
As per survivors, the Naxals lobbed ‘desi’ bombs at the police party, instantly killing three CRPF personnel. Automatic fire from AK-47 rifles, snipers and UBGLs were also directed at the forces. Survivors said a number of grenades remained unexploded or the casualty figures could be higher.
“The aim was to force the joint team to retreat and close the camp. But the strong retaliation from the forces made the Naxals retreat, taking cover of the jungles and the hills in the area,” DGP Anil Juneja said. The encounter went on for more than four hours and women PLGA members, as per eyewitness accounts, remained at the forefront of the assault. Local village women were also allegedly used as human shield by the Naxals.
At least 14 CRPF and state police men were injured but police believes that Naxals also suffered heavy casualties. “At least six Naxals were killed but the number could be much more,” IG Bastar P Sundar Raj said.
Significance of the Location
Tekalguda is just about four kilometres from Purvati — the village of Madvi Hidma. The former PLGA Battalion One commander has attained notoriety for audacious attacks on the forces in the last few years. The elusive Maoist was recently promoted to the central committee — the decision-making body of CPI (Maoists).
Hidma, it is said, moves with multiple layers of protective cover, the inner ring being that of highly trained and most trustworthy special assassination squads. The outer-most ring is of local villagers who sound an alarm in case of any police presence.
An attempt by joint forces to breach Tekalguda in 2021 had met with severe setback. A total of 23 personnel had died when about 400 Maoists fired on them during an operation.
Officials told CNN-News18 that a police camp so close to this Naxal territory would have posed an existential threat to the Maoists. “The fact that joint forces did not retreat even after the attack on Tuesday and the camp remains operational is a body blow to the Naxals,” a CRPF officer said.
The Tekalguda camp is crucial to the government’s plan of completing the domination of the Dornapal-Jagargunda axis. The route has long remained without any government presence, giving Maoists a free run. Dornapal-Jagargunda, Injaram-Beji and Chintagufa-Pidmel are three axis along which multiple camps are being set up to force out Maoists who are dominating the area.
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