In a major success in dismantling Naxalism in Chhattisgarh, the security forces on Sunday neutralised 31 Naxalites in the forest area of the state’s Bijapur. Providing details about the encounter, IG Bastar P Sundarraj said that the Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in the forests under the National Park area of District Bijapur.
The encounter started on Sunday morning in the forest of the Indravati National Park in the Bijapur district. Two jawans also fell in line of duty during the encounter, while two others were injured. The gunfight took place when a joint team of personnel from different security forces was out on an anti-Naxalite operation, a senior police official said.
Earlier, 12 Naxalites were reported to be killed but the search operation was underway. During the search operation, more bodies were recovered in the jungle area raising the count to 31. Police during the operation also recovered weapons and explosives from the area.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah posted on X and said, “In the direction of making India Naxal-free, the security forces have achieved a big success in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. In this operation, 31 Naxalites were killed and a huge amount of arms and explosives were also recovered.”
Reiterating the commitment to end the Naxal menace, Chhattisgarh CM Vishnu Deo Sai said, “Under the leadership of PM Narendra Modi and the Union Home Minister Amit Shah, our state will be free from Naxalism by March 2026. In this direction, the security forces are continuously achieving success and moving rapidly towards the goal. The end of Naxalism, which is like a cancer in the country and the state, is certain.”
Earlier on January 21, at least 16 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces in Chhattisgarh’s Gariaband district. An official said that a fresh exchange of fire occurred overnight in a forest area under the Manipur police station, located along the Chhattisgarh-Odisha border. During the encounter, 12 more Naxalites were killed.
This is the second encounter this year at Indravati National Park, where three Maoists were gunned down on January 12. The national park area, adjoining Abujhmad, is believed to be a safe haven for Maoists. Spread across 2,799.08 square kilometres, the park shares its border with Maharashtra and was declared a tiger reserve in 1983.
So far this year, 62 Maoists have been killed in encounters, and 11 jawans also lost their lives fighting Maoists in Chhattisgarh. At least nine civilians, including five from Bijapur, have been killed by Maoists this year.