The National Investigation Agency (NIA) has filed a second supplementary chargesheet against six more CPI (Maoist) cadres in a case related to a deadly attack that left 22 security personnel dead in Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh in 2021, an official said on Wednesday.
This takes the total number of accused chargesheeted in the case so far to 46.
The anti-terror federal agency had registered the case on June 5, 2021 and had filed its original chargesheet against 23 accused in December last year, followed by a supplementary chargesheet against 17 more in July.
In the latest chargesheet filed in the NIA Special Court at Jagdalpur, Chhattisgarh on Tuesday, the probe agency has charged Manoj Podiyami alias "Masa", Mula Devender Reddy alias "Masa Dada", Vijja Hemla, Kesha Sodi alias "Malla", Mallesh alias "Mallesh Kunjam" and Sonu alias "Dodi Sonu" under various sections of the Unlawful Activities (Prevention) Act, Arms Act, Explosive Substances Act and the Indian Penal Code, the official said.
The cadres had launched the gruesome assault with automatic weapons and Under Barrel Grenade Launchers (UBGLs) when combined security teams were conducting search operations against the Maoist cadres near Tekalgudiyam village, Tarrem in June 2021.
During the attack, the accused had also looted weapons from the slain personnel, besides kidnapping one CoBRA soldier of CRPF, who was later released by the CPI (Maoist) cadres.
Investigations to nab others involved in the offensive against the security forces are continuing, the official said.
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