Raipur: Security Forces on Sunday, February 9 inflicted a major blow to the banned outfit CPI (Maoist), neutralizing a total of 31 of its cadres in forests of Indravati Park Area of Bijapur.
The operation mark the second most successful strike on Maoists by the forces in the past one year trailing only behind the Thulthuli encounter in Abujhmad of Narayanpur district where the security personnel had gunned down 38 Maoists in a fierce gun battle in October last year .
The campaign was launched after the police received intel about gathering of Maoist cadres from Maharashtra, Chhattisgarh and Telangana in the forest area of national park area. Over 700 personnel were subsequently dispatched towards Chotekakler and Loded hills, adjoining Maharashtra border on Saturday as part of the major offensive aimed at eliminating the said group of Maoists.
The joint team comprises of personnel from Special Task Force, Bastar Fighters and District Reserve Guard (DRG), a unit of Chhattisgarh police specialised in guerilla warfare, covered a distance of around 50 kilometers on foot, crossing over heavily forested area to reach the desired location.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh | Visuals from the area where 31 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security forces, yesterday in the forests under the National Park area of District Bijapur. 2 jawans also lost their lives in the encounter.
In visuals are the memorials of… pic.twitter.com/vHu96mlziI
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2025
The gun battle broke out on Sunday morning lasted for around six hours, resulting in death of as many as 11 female Maoist cadres along 20 of their male accomplices. Two security personnel were also martyred during the exchange of fire while the other two sustained injuries. The injured personnel were evacuated and airlifted to Raipur for treatment.
#WATCH | Chhattisgarh | 31 Naxalites were killed in an encounter between security forces and Naxalites, yesterday
Visuals from the forests under the National Park area of District Bijapur where the encounter took place pic.twitter.com/c5Els6beQI
— ANI (@ANI) February 10, 2025
The encounter followed an extensive search operation by the personnel who subsequently recovered bodies of 31 Maoists along a significant cache of arms and ammunition from the spot.
The bodies of the slain Maoists along with the seized arsenal of weapons and ammunitions were later brought to the district headquarters on late Sunday evening. The recovery includes sophisticated weapon including AK-47, Insas, SLR rifle and BGL launchers.
Security Forces to continue operations in affected zones
Briefing the media, Inspector General of Police Bastar Sundarraj P said that “such operation will continue till the residents are free from the Maoists-insurgency”. He added that bodies of 65 Maoists have been recovered after separate encounters in the state in first forty days of 2025.
The police later confirmed the identities of five Maoists killed in the encounter while the identities of the rest of the extremists are being ascertained. According to the police, DVCM member Hunga Karma, carrying a reward of Rs 8 lakhs and PPCM platoon member Mangu, carrying a bounty of Rs 5 lakhs were among those killed in the gunfight.
Tributes paid to the fallen soldiers
Meanwhile a wreath-laying ceremony was held on Monday to honour the two jawans who were martyred during the encounter. Tributes were paid to the martyred jawans after which their bodies were taken to their home towns.
The martyred personnel were identified as Vasit Rawte of STF and Naresh Dhurv, of DRG. Dhruv was a resident of Balodabazar.
Notably, over 300 Maoists were neutralised in separate operations carried out by the security personnel in violence-ridden state of Chhattisgarh in the last 14 months, marking intensified efforts by the forces in Maoist affected zones. This comes amidst the Union Government announcing a deadline to eradicate Maoist insurgency from the country before March 2026.
