On Sunday, security forces gunned down 31 Maoists in an intense encounter in the Indravati National Park area of Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur district. The operation, aimed at countering Maoist insurgency, resulted in the deaths of two security personnel, while two others sustained injuries. The injured personnel are out of danger and have been evacuated for medical treatment.
Union Home Minister Amit Shah confirmed the development on X (formerly Twitter). He reiterated his commitment to eradicating Maoist insurgency by March 31, 2026.
He expressed condolences to the two fallen soldiers, stating, “This country will always be indebted to these heroes.”
His Hindi post roughly translated to: “In our mission to make India free from Naxalism, the security forces have achieved a major success in Bijapur, Chhattisgarh. Along with neutralizing 31 Maoists, a large cache of weapons and explosives has also been recovered. Today, we have lost two brave soldiers in this fight against anti-human Naxalism. The nation will always remain indebted to these heroes. I extend my heartfelt condolences to the families of the martyred soldiers. I reaffirm my determination that by March 31, 2026, Naxalism will be eliminated from this country, ensuring that no citizen loses their life due to it.”
The gun battle erupted when Maoist rebels clashed with a joint security team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Special Task Force (STF), and Bastar Fighter Force. Following the encounter, security forces discovered the bodies of 31 Maoists in military fatigues. A large cache of firearms, including AK-47 rifles, Self-Loading Rifles (SLR), INSAS rifles, and grenade launchers, was seized. Explosives were also recovered from the site.
Authorities are currently identifying the killed Maoists, while search operations continue in the region, with reinforcements deployed. This operation follows a deadly attack on January 6, where eight DRG personnel and their driver were killed when Maoists ambushed their vehicle in Bijapur.
According to Chhattisgarh Police, 49 Maoists have been killed this year in various encounters across the state. Out of these, 33 were neutralised in the Bastar division, which includes seven districts, including Bijapur. A previous major encounter on January 20-21 in Gariaband district resulted in the elimination of 16 Maoists. In 2024, security forces neutralized 219 Maoists across Chhattisgarh in separate encounters.
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Maoist Presence in Jharkhand
Apart from Chhattisgarh, several states in India continue to face Maoist (Naxalite) insurgency. In December 2024, Jharkhand Police released a list of 72 Maoists, along with the reward amounts placed on their heads.
Among the most wanted Maoists in Jharkhand are:
- Misir Besra (alias Bhaskar, Sunirmal Ji, Sagar) – ₹1 Crore Reward
- Prayag Manjhi (alias Vivek, Karan Da, Letra) – ₹1 Crore Reward
- Asim Mandal (alias Akash, Timir) – ₹1 Crore Reward
- Anal Da (alias Tufan, Ramesh) – ₹1 Crore Reward
- Chaman (alias Lambu, Karamchand Hansda) – ₹25 Lakh Reward
TFI Series on Naxalism Part 3: Operation Steeplechase, the first major crackdown on Naxalites
The list includes CPI (Maoist) commanders and zonal leaders operating in Jharkhand, Bihar, West Bengal, and Odisha. Several of these insurgents hold leadership positions in Maoist Central Committee, Special Area Committees, and Zonal Command structures. Security forces are intensifying operations across Maoist-affected states, targeting insurgent strongholds and dismantling their networks. Naxalism might soon be a internal security problem of the past in India.
