Maoists admit Telangana unit chief among 18 dead

The Maoist's Telangana cadre chief is among 18 members killed in a fierce gunfight in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur on Thursday, the group said in a statement, confirming what police described as a major blow to the insurgency.

- Ritesh Mishra and Srinivasa Rao Apparasu

RAIPUR/HYDERABAD: The Maoist's Telangana cadre chief is among 18 members killed in a fierce gunfight in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur on Thursday, the group said in a statement, confirming what police described as a major blow to the insurgency.

A posse of thousands of security personnel launched an operation deep inside forests after intelligence tip-offs. Immediately afterwards, state police said they had found 12 bodies.

On Saturday, the insurgents released a press note saying among the dead was Bade Chokka Rao, also known as Damodar, the secretary of the CPI(Maoist)'s Telangana cadre.

"Naxals have accepted the loss of 18 cadres including that of Telangana state committee cadre [head] Damodar. It is a big setback in one of their important stronghold areas," said Suderaj P, the inspector general of police, Bastar range.