'Ab tak unchaalis...' and counting for injured anti-Maoist commando

NAGPUR: C-60 commando Kumod Atram, who was airlifted in a critical condition from the Abujmarh battlefield on Monday, says he has participated in 22 encounters over eight years. "Ab tak unchaalis," he said when asked about the toll he had inflicted personally on the Maoists .

Though down with gunshot injuries, he told TOI from his hospital bed in Nagpur that he's raring to go again. Atram was hit when he turned to see his buddy pair, who came under heavy close-range fire from guerrillas. Despite crouching behind a broad tree trunk, Atram was hit thrice when he sought to give cover to his fellow commando. Atram bled profusely for 30 minutes before a fellow commando could bring the blood-clotting kit, stashed 50m away, in the midst of unceasing gunfire.

Atram was part of the gun battle with the Maoists' "Company Number 10" formation in which five People's Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) fighters were shot dead.

The slain guerrillas had around 300 offences against them and carried a total bounty of Rs 38 lakh. Two senior women divisional committee members, Jaya Pada and Ankalu Tulavi, were among those killed.

Atram trekked 72 hours across the tough terrain of Abujmarh with 22 commandos and CRPF personnel before engaging with PLGA fighters camping at two different sites 7 km apart.

The two camp sites tried to ambush the advancing security forces, but came under siege.

Gadchiroli police and anti-Naxal operation officials said the operation was launched to thwart Maoist plans to disrupt the November 20 Maharashtra polls.