After deadly Naxal attack in Chhattisgarh, govt prepares ‘hit list’ of high-value targets

New Delhi: The government has prepared a “hit list" of high-value targets of Naxal fighters following the brutal killing of 25 CRPF jawans in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district a few days ago, a media report said on Thursday.

Union Home Minister Rajnath Singh had termed the Monday's attack as direct “challenge to the government” and vowed to hunt down the attackers.

Bastar divisional commander Raghu, Jagargunda area head Papa Rao and PLGA battalion commander Hidma, who is said to be behind the latest attack, are among those in the hit list, the Times of India reported.

Citing government sources, TOI reported that the CRPF and other forces have been asked to demoralise the Naxalites by targeting their leaders.

Around 200-250 Naxal leaders “keep travelling” to Jharkhand, Odisha and Maharashtra for planning attacks on security forces, it said citing sources.

According to the report, some 4,000 armed Naxalite cadres operate in the Bastar belt alone, and they are aided by a 10,000-12000-strong 'jan militia'.

"A large number of Naxalites have been arrested since last year, but senior leaders (of the insurgents) who plan ambushes on security forces have been eluding the forces for a long time.

" Home Minister Rajnath Singh has already told the forces to go on an all-out offensive and break the Maoists' dominance in Bastar region, for which the government is ready to provide any number of extra companies (of security forces) and modern technology... It is important to pick these 250 leaders, and important members in the jan militia using robust intelligence," TOI quoted an unnamed official as saying.