In a significant breakthrough in the ongoing anti-Maoist offensive, top CPI (Maoist) cadre and sniper Sodhi Kanna, deputy commander of the People’s Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) Battalion No. 1, was killed in a fierce gunbattle with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district on Saturday.
The encounter occurred deep inside Indravati National Park, a known Maoist stronghold, where a large-scale operation was launched on July 4 based on intelligence about Maoist presence. Kanna’s body was recovered after the encounter, which officials say involved intense gunfire.
SP Jitender Kumar Yadav called the operation a major win against Left Wing Extremism. “Kanna was deputy commander of the battalion led by Madvi Hidma, one of the most wanted Maoist leaders and the lone active Central Committee member in the region,” Yadav said.
Kanna was a highly trained sniper and was closely involved in several deadly attacks, including one on the Dharmaram security camp. The Chhattisgarh government had announced an ₹8 lakh bounty for his capture.
The joint operation involved units from DRG (Bijapur & Dantewada), STF, CoBRA, CRPF, and local forces. IG Bastar Range Sundarraj P praised the troops for braving harsh monsoon terrain to strike a decisive blow. “This reflects the courage and resolve of our forces,” he said.
With this, the Maoist death toll in Chhattisgarh stands at 415 in the last 18 months, as security forces maintain relentless pressure in the insurgency-hit Bastar region.