3 Maoists killed in encounter in Gadchiroli

NAGPUR: A top Maoist commander and two women guerrillas were shot dead in an encounter in Gadchiroli on Monday, wiping out an entire dalam (formation) that lorded over a 1,000sqkm patch in the Maharashtra rebel redoubt.

Permili dalam commander Vasu Samar Korcha carried a Rs 22-lakh bounty. One of the women, Reshma Madkam, was an area committee member of People’s Liberation Guerilla Army. The other was Kamla Madavi. “Korcha and the two women were last of the three remaining members of the dalam. The trio was trying to mobilise villagers and planning subversive activities,” Gadchiroli SP Neelotpal said.

The guerrillas tried to corner C-60 commandos by firing but were encircled and outsmarted, police said. Sources said the encounter had inflicted a debilitating setback to Maoists at a time of their tactical counter oppressive campaign when they step up attacks on security forces and govt units.