Prime Minister Narendra Modi. File
| Photo Credit: PTI

Prime Minister Narendra Modi on Thursday (January 2, 2025) lauded the Maharashtra government’s efforts to ensure all-round development in the State’s remote and Maoist-affected areas.

The Prime Minister’s comments came a day after Maharashtra Chief Minister Devendra Fadnavis visited Gadchiroli, a district affected by left wing extremism, and asserted that the dominance of Naxalites in remote areas of the district was ending.

A number of Naxal cadres laid down their arms during his visit, with Mr. Fadnavis also unveiling several development initiatives.

PM Modi said on X, “I laud the Maharashtra Government’s efforts to ensure all-round development in remote and Maoist-affected areas. This will certainly boost ‘Ease of Living’ and pave the way for even more progress. A special congratulations to my sisters and brothers of Gadchiroli and the surrounding areas!”

He was responding to a post by Fadnavis on his government’s efforts to eliminate the violent movement from the region.

New Delhi:

In another incident of a selfie gone wrong, a wild elephant attacked and trampled a labourer to death in Maharashtra. Srikant Ramchandra Satre and his two friends visited the Abapur forest in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli on Thursday morning to see a wild elephant. But little did they know the trio wouldn’t come back together. While two of the men had a narrow escape, Shrikant was attacked and killed by the wild elephant. The incident happened during a selfie session in the forest area.

Srikant Satre, 23, had come from Navegaon with some of his friends for cable laying work in Gadchiroli district.

Two days ago, on Tuesday, information about a wild elephant coming out of the Chittagong and Gadchiroli forest area was received. It was said that the elephant was roaming in the Abapur forest of the Mutnur forest area. At the same time, Shrikant, 23, and his two friends were in the area for work. In between they decided to go elephant viewing.

The trio was enjoying themselves in the forest when Srikant decided to take a selfie with the elephant from a distance. Soon the elephant attacked and crushed him.

The two friends managed to save their lives and escape while Srikant had an unfortunate fate.

Gadchiroli (Maharashtra):

Three Maoists, including two females, were killed in an encounter with security forces in Maharashtra’s Gadchiroli district on Monday, police said.

An intelligence input was received that some members of the Perimili Dalam of Maoists were camping in a forest near Katrangatta village in Bhamragad taluka with an aim to carry out subversive activities during their ongoing Tactical Counter Offensive Campaign (TCOC) period, Superintendent of Police Neelotpal said.

Two units of C-60 commandos, a specialised combat wing of the Gadchiroli police, were immediately sent for a search in the area, he said.

While the teams were carrying out the search operation, Maoists fired at them indiscriminately, to which the C-60 personnel retaliated, the official said.

After the firing stopped, the bodies of a male and two female Maoists were recovered from the spot, he said.

One of them was identified as Vasu, in-charge and commander of the Perimili Dalam, the official said.

An AK-47 rifle, a carbine, an INSAS rifle, Maoist literature and items were also found at the spot, he said.

The anti-Maoist operation was underway in the area, the police added.

Maoists undertake the TCOC from March-June to strengthen their cadres and launch major attacks on security forces as forests are devoid of green cover, thereby increasing visibility. 

(Except for the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV staff and is published from a syndicated feed.)