Mastermind of April Dantewada Naxal Attack Shot Dead in Encounter

The 9 April attack in Dantewada region killed BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and five police personnel.

The BJP convoy which was attacked by Naxals in Chhattisgarh’s Dantewada on Tuesday, 9 April.

(Photo: ANI)

A Naxal commander, identified as Madvi Muyya, carrying a reward of rupees eight lakh on his head, was killed in an encounter with security forces in Dantewada area of Chhattisgarh, early morning on Thursday, 2 May, ANI reported, quoting SP Dantewada Abhishek Pallav.

Pallav told ANI that Muyya was one of the masterminds of the 9 April attack in Dantewada region in which BJP MLA Bhima Mandavi and five police personnel were killed while the former was campaigning ahead of the elections.

Muyya was allegedly involved in the deadly Burkapal attack on 24 April 2017 in Sukma in which 25 security personnel lost their lives, Director General (Anti-Naxal Operations) Girdhari Nayak told PTI.

The face-off took place in the forest under Kirandul police station area when a joint team of District Reserve Guard (DRG) and District Force (DF) was out on a search operation in the morning, PTI reported.

“When the patrolling team was advancing through forest between Perpa and Markamaris villages, around 450 km away from the capital Raipur, it came under fire from a group of ultras that led to the gun-battle,” Nayak said.

After the exchange of fire stopped, the body of a Naxal was identified as Muyya alias Joga Kunjam. A 315 bore rifle with six rounds was also recovered.

(With inputs from ANI and PTI.)