Maoists call for bandh on June 20 in the Telugu states as a protest against Operation Kagar
Bijapur: Security personnel after an encounter with Naxalites, in Bijapur district, Chhattisgarh, Friday, Jan. 17, 2025. The twelve Naxalites killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Thursday were from the Maoists' "strongest" unit in the Bastar region, a senior official said. (PTI Photo) (PTI01_17_2025_000456B)
The CPI (Maoists) party has called for a bandh in the two Telugu states—Andhra Pradesh and Telangana— on June 20 opposing Operation Kagar.
In a statement released by Maoists, the party blamed the government and accused it of carrying out illegal killings of its members. The bandh has been specifically called to protest the killings of its leaders, Chalam, Bhaskar and others who have died in encounters with security forces.
Chalam, along with 6 others, were gunned down in Chattisgarh's Bijapur in the first week of this month. The Maoists claim that some of their members were tortured before they were killed. A native of Andhra Pradesh, Chalam carried a reward of Rs 40 lakhs.
The Maoists claim that between June 3 and 9 in the national park area region in Bijapur district, there was a deployment of a large number of security forces. In the intense operation that ensued the leaders were killed while they were retreating, as per the statement.
The Maoists spokesperson, Jagan accused the centre of killing more than 500 Maoists since the beginning of 2024. In the last 3 months, Operation Kagar progressed aggressively in Chattisgarh and Telangana border areas in the Karregutta hills. A large number of central and state forces, including CRPF, COBRA and DRG of Chattisgarh police were involved in the operation to flush out the Maoists from the area which resulted in success for the government as the security forces captured some of the terrains, which were known to be the strongholds of the Maoists.
The military operations of the centre are in line with its target to eliminate the Maoist movement by 2026. After Operation Kagar was initiated, civil society groups as well as the Maoists have pressed for ceasefire and peace talks.
Activists and members of human rights groups even met the government to halt the violence but the centre did not budge. It maybe recalled that the top Maoist leader and general secretary of the party, Basavaraju was killed in an encounter last month. A large number of Maoists have also surrendered to the Telangana police this year.
India