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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 launch
Forty one Naxalites, 32 of them collectively carrying a reward of Rs 1.19 crore on their heads, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Bijapur district on Wednesday, officials said. The cadres, including 12 women, turned themselves in before senior police officials here, citing they were impressed by the government's new surrender and rehabilitation policy and "Poona Margham" (rehabilitation for social reintegration drive of Bastar range police), Bijapur Superintendent of Police Jitendra Kumar Yadav said. Among them, four were members of PLGA (People's Liberation Guerrilla Army) battalion no.1 and different companies of Maoists, three of area committees, 11 platoon and area committee party members, two PLGA members, four militia platoon commanders, one deputy commander, six militia platoon members, and the remaining belonged to frontal outfits of outlawed CPI (Maoist), he said. Thirty-nine of these 41 cadres belonged to the south sub-zonal bureau of Maoists. They all were associated with the
Top Naxalite commander Madvi Hidma, who had masterminded several attacks over the last two decades, was killed in an encounter in neighbouring Andhra Pradesh on Tuesday, a breakthrough Chhattisgarh Police described as the "last nail in the coffin" of the insurgency. Security forces gunned down Hidma, his wife Raje, and four other Naxalites in the Maredumilli forest in Alluri Sitaramaraju district of the neighbouring state this morning, a senior police officer in Bastar confirmed. Hidma's elimination is the "last nail in the coffin" of severely-weakened insurgency in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh. "We have received information that Maoist leader Hidma is among the cadres killed on the Andhra Pradesh-Chhattisgarh border. It is a very important development," Chhattisgarh Deputy Chief Minister Vijay Sharma told reporters in Raipur. A native of Puvarti village in Sukma district, Hidma's age and appearance remained mysterious until his photograph surfaced earlier this year. He heade
Six Maoists were killed in an encounter with security personnel here in Alluri Sitaramaraju district on Tuesday, a police official said. According to reports, Madvi Hidma, an alleged mastermind behind several attacks on police, was also suspected to be among the dead. However, there was no immediate confirmation either from the police or the state government on Hidma's death. District superintendent of police (SP) Amit Bardar said the encounter happened between 6.30 am and 7 am in the forested area of Maredumilli mandal. "Yes, six Maoists were killed in an encounter in Alluri district today," Bardar told PTI. Two women and four men were killed in the exchange of fire. According to the SP, it was a joint operation carried out by various wings of the police department.
India is on the verge of eradicating Naxal-Maoist terror and more than 100 districts freed from this scourge will celebrate Diwali with dignity this year, Prime Minister Narendra Modi said on Monday. Addressing the armed forces onboard INS Vikrant off the Goa coast, Modi lauded the bravery of the security forces, saying they have achieved significant successes against Maoist terror and reduced their influence to just 11 districts, from 125 districts a decade ago. "It is due to the valour and courage of our security forces that the country has achieved another major milestone over the last few years. This milestone is about eradication of Maoist terrorism. The country is on the verge of liberation from Naxal-Maoist terror," the prime minister said. He said that before 2014, nearly 125 districts across the country were in the grip of Maoist violence and this number has now reduced to just 11 districts due to the steps taken by the government over the past decade. "Of these 11 distric
The Chhattisgarh High Court has said anti-Naxal operations, being part of regular counter-insurgency measures undertaken by state or Central security forces, cannot be subjected to investigation by a Special Investigation Team (SIT) unless exceptional circumstances warrant such intervention. The HC made the observation while dismissing a petition seeking an SIT probe into the killing of outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist) Central Committee (CC) member K Ramachandra Reddy in an anti-Naxal operation in Narayanpur district last month. A division bench of Chief Justice Ramesh Sinha and Judge Bibhu Datta Guru said on October 14 that ordering an SIT probe into such regular field operations would not only undermine the federal structure of policing powers but also set a precedent inconsistent with established legal and administrative principles. Reddy's son Raja Chandra (33), a resident of Theegalakuntapally in Telangana's Siddipet district, had filed the petition seeking the ...
As many as 27 Naxalites, 16 of them carrying a collective bounty of Rs 50 lakh, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Wednesday, a senior police official said. The development comes a day after senior Naxalite Mallojula Venugopal Rao alias Bhupathi and 60 other cadres laid down their arms in Maharashtra's Gadchiroli district. Notably, Union Home Minister Amit Shah has underlined the government's resolve to eradicate Naxalism, largely concentrated in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, by March 31, 2026. Among the 27 Naxalites who surrendered in Chhattisgarh on Wednesday were 10 women. They turned themselves in before senior police and the Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials here. They cited disappointment with the "hollow" Maoist ideology, atrocities committed by Naxalites on innocent tribals and the growing influence of security forces, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said. The cadres said they were also impressed by the 'Niyad Nellanar' (your good villa
Union Home Minister Amit Shah on Wednesday said the Modi government will not rest until all Naxals either surrender, are caught, or are eliminated. Felicitating the CRPF, Chhattisgarh Police, District Reserve Guard (DRG), and CoBRA jawans who successfully carried out 'Operation Black Forest' on Karregutta hill in Chhattisgarh, Shah said the government, under the leadership of Prime Minister Narendra Modi, is committed to making India Naxal-free. "The Modi government will not rest until all the Naxalites either surrender, are caught or eliminated," he said. Shah said the bravery and valour displayed by the jawans during Operation Black Forest will be remembered as a golden chapter in the history of anti-Naxal operations. Despite the heat, altitude, and threat of IEDs at every step, security forces carried out the operation with high morale and successfully destroyed a major Naxal base camp, he said. The material dump and supply chain of the Naxals established on Karregutta hill wer
As many as 23 hardcore Naxalites, including three couples, carrying a cumulative bounty of Rs 1.18 crore, surrendered in Chhattisgarh's Sukma district on Saturday, a senior police official said. The surrendered Naxalites include 11 senior cadres, most of them active in the Peoples' Liberation Guerrilla Army (PLGA) battalion no.1, which is considered the strongest military formation of Maoists, the official said. They turned themselves in before senior police and Central Reserve Police Force (CRPF) officials, citing their disappointment with "hollow" Maoist ideology, atrocities committed by Naxalites on innocent tribals and growing internal differences within the banned outfit, Sukma Superintendent of Police Kiran Chavan said. He said there were nine women among surrendered cadres. The official said Lokesh alias Podiam Bhima (35), Ramesh alias Kalmu Kesa (23), Kawasi Masa (35), Madkam Hunga (23), Nuppo Gangi (28), Punem Deve (30), Paraski Pandey (22), Madvi Joga (20), Nuppo Lachchu
Senior Congress leader Sachin Pilot on Monday said the anti-Naxal operations should be carried out effectively in a transparent manner and the exercise should not be politicised. The Congress in-charge for Chhattisgarh was talking to reporters at the Swami Vivekananda Airport in Raipur, after arriving here for a two-day visit during which he will chair a series of meetings with the party leaders. Asked about Union Home Minister Amit Shah's recent statement that anti-Naxal operations will be continued during the rainy season, Pilot, said, "The Congress has always been against violence and extremists. Our leaders have sacrificed their lives to keep this country and state safe." "Whatever effective action is to be taken, it should be taken. Action should be done in a transparent manner and it should not be politicised," he said. This is a matter of internal security. No one should do politics over this, the former Union minister said. Whatever action is taken, it should be done by ta
Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai on Tuesday said the end of Naxalism is certain, as he laid wreath at the mortal remains of Additional Superintendent of Police Akash Rao Girepunje killed in an IED blast in Sukma district. The CM said Girepunje's sacrifice will not go in vain. Girepunje was killed and two officers were injured after the Improvised Explosive Device (IED) planted by Naxals exploded on Monday in Sukma. Amid emotional chants of 'Bharat Mata ki Jai' and 'Akash Rao Amar Rahe', wreaths were laid on Tuesday at the police officer's mortal remains at the headquarters of the 4th battalion of Chhattisgarh Armed Force (CAF) in Mana area here. Apart from CM Sai, Deputy CMs Vijay Sharma and Arun Sao, state assembly speaker Raman Singh, ministers, public representatives and senior administration and police officials were present at the wreath laying ceremony. Girepunje's family members, including his parents, his wife and two minor children, were also present. His 7-yea
Police and intelligence agencies have been keeping a close watch on activities of Maoist cadres and their overground supporters following the last week's killing of their top leader Basavaraju in an encounter in Chhattisgarh's Bastar region, officials said on Monday. In a statement attributed to Maoists and shared nearly a week after the encounter, the Naxals have admitted that a total of 28 cadres, including Basavaraju, were killed in the gun-battle. In one of the biggest strikes on Naxalites, security forces gunned down Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju, general secretary of the banned Communist Party of India (Maoist), and 26 other cadres during a fierce encounter in forests of Abhujmad along Bijapur-Narayanpur inter-district border on May 21. Two jawans of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of state police were also killed during the gunfight. In the statement dated May 25, shared on social media on Monday, Maoists claimed some cadres active in the unit of Basavaraju recently
A District Reserve Guard (DRG) jawan of the state police was killed when an improvised explosive device planted by Naxalites went off in Chhattisgarh's Narayanpur district, officials said. The incident took place in densely forested Abhujmad area on Wednesday evening when security personnel were returning after a major encounter with Maoists, a senior police official said. At least 27 Naxalites including Nambala Keshav Rao alias Basavaraju (70), general secretary of the outlawed Communist Party of India (Maoist), were killed in the encounter which took place in the forests along the border of Narayanpur and Bijapur districts. While returning, Ramesh Hemla, a jawan belonging to the Bijapur DRG, stepped on a pressure-activated IED, triggering a blast that killed him on the spot, the police official said. Another DRG member, Khotluram Korram, was killed during the encounter earlier on Wednesday. Korram was a resident of Bhatbeda village in Orchha police station area of Narayanpur.
