30 ‘Maoists’ killed in twin Bastar encounters in Chhattisgarh
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Raipur: In one of the deadliest anti-Maoist operations this year, security forces gunned down at least 30 alleged Maoists in two separate encounters in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh on Thursday, March 20.
According to senior police officials, 26 Maoists were killed along the Bijapur-Dantewada boundary in South Bastar during a combing operation carried out by a joint team of security personnel in the Gangaloor police station area. The operation began early in the morning and continued into the afternoon. Following the encounter, the bodies of 26 Maoists were recovered along with a significant cache of arms and ammunition. A jawan of the Bijapur District Reserve Guard (DRG) lost his life during the operation.
In a separate incident, four Maoists were killed in an encounter along the Kanker-Narayanpur border in North Bastar. This operation was conducted jointly by the DRG and the Border Security Force (BSF).
Union Home Minister Amit Shah and Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai hailed the encounters as a "major success" in the ongoing efforts to eliminate Left-Wing Extremism.
“Today our soldiers have achieved another big success in the direction of ‘Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan’. The Modi government is moving forward with a ruthless approach and a zero-tolerance policy against Maoists who refuse to surrender,” Mr. Shah posted on X.
Chief Minister Sai expressed condolences over the death of the DRG jawan and reaffirmed the State’s commitment to eradicating Naxalism. “Operations will continue until Chhattisgarh is completely free from this menace,” he said.
The twin encounters have pushed the total number of Maoists killed in Chhattisgarh this year past 100, signaling an intensification of the anti-Maoist campaign.
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UP court rejects plea seeking Rahul Gandhi's voice sample in defamation case
Sultanpur (UP) (PTI): A local MP/MLA court on Saturday rejected a plea seeking a voice sample of Rae Bareli MP Rahul Gandhi in a defamation case filed by a BJP functionary against the Congress leader, and posted the matter for next hearing on May 11.
The plea, filed by BJP leader Vijay Mishra through his counsel Santosh Kumar Pandey, had sought Gandhi's voice sample for a forensic test to compare it with an audio clip.
After the petition was dismissed, Pandey said they would file a revision plea before the sessions court against the order.
The court rejected the plea after hearing the arguments of both sides, including Gandhi's counsel Kashi Prasad Shukla.
The matter dates back to 2018 when Mishra, a local BJP leader, filed a defamation suit over Gandhi’s alleged objectionable remarks targeting Amit Shah while campaigning for the Karnataka Assembly elections.
After five years of legal proceedings, the court issued a warrant against Gandhi in December 2023.
The Rae Bareli MP surrendered before the court in February 2024, and was granted bail on two sureties of Rs 25,000 each by a special magistrate.
On July 26 last year, the Congress leader recorded his statement before the court, claiming innocence and calling the case a political conspiracy.
Earlier this year, multiple hearings were postponed due to a strike by lawyers and the ill-health of Gandhi’s counsel.
