Bijapur encounter: Toll rises to 18 after bodies of 6 more Naxalites found

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Six more bodies of Naxalites have been recovered following an encounter with security personnel in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district, taking the toll of cadres killed in the gun battle to 18, officials said on Thursday.

Three personnel of the District Reserve Guard, a unit of the state police, were also killed in the gunfight which took place on Wednesday.

Following a prolonged intermittent exchange of fire that lasted for around 12 hours, bodies of 12 Naxalites were recovered till late Wednesday evening, Inspector General of Police Sundarraj P said.

Six more bodies were found till Thursday morning during a search in the area. With this, the toll of Naxalites killed in the encounter has gone up to 18, he said, adding that the search operation was still underway in the area.

The operation involving personnel of the DRG from Dantewada and Bijapur, and Special Task Force, both units of the state police, and CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action- an elite unit of CRPF) was launched based on inputs about the presence of west Bastar division and PLGA company no. 2 of Maoists in the area, he said.

"Our security forces bravely retaliated to the Maoists' firing, but unfortunately, our three brave jawans belonging to DRG Bijapur were martyred in the action," he said.

The IG was speaking to reporters after paying homage to the three deceased security personnel at Bijapur Police Lines.

Family members of the three killed jawans, public representatives, officials and local people were also present at the wreath-laying ceremony and paid tribute to them.

The deceased personnel -- head constable Monu Vadadi, constable Dukaru Gonde and jawan Ramesh Sodhi -- were residents of Bijapur district. Their mortal remains were sent to their native places after the people paid tributes to them.

Two DRG personnel were also injured in the incident.

One of the killed Naxalites has been identified as Modiyami Vella, while the identity of the remaining killed cadres was yet to be ascertained, the IG said.

Vella was active as commander of company no. 2 of PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) of Maoists and involved in several incidents of attacks on security forces, including the 2020 Minpa ambush (Sukma), wherein 17 security personnel lost their lives, and Tekalgudem (Bijapur) attack, in which 22 security personnel were killed in 2021, he said.

Vella carried a reward of Rs 8 lakh on his head, the official said.

A Light Machine Gun, Single Loading Rifles (SLRs), Insas rifles, .303 rifles and other arms and ammunition were recovered from the site, he said.

With the latest action by security forces, 281 Naxalites have been killed in encounters in Chhattisgarh so far this year.

Of them, 252 were eliminated in the Bastar division, comprising seven districts, including Bijapur and Dantewada, while 27 others were gunned down in Gariaband district, which falls in the Raipur division. Two Naxalites were killed in Mohla-Manpur-Ambagarh Chowki district in Durg division.

With the latest incident, 23 security personnel have lost their lives in Maoist violence, including encounters, in the state so far this year, police said.

The Centre has set a deadline of March 31, 2026, to completely eradicate Left-Wing Extremism.