BHOPAL, March 20: In a major crackdown against Naxalites, security forces in Chhattisgarh killed 22 members of the banned CPI (Maoist) group in two separate encounters on Thursday, officials confirmed.
The first encounter took place in Bijapur district, where 18 Naxals were killed during an anti-Naxalite operation near the Bijapur-Dantewada border in the Gangaloor police station area. A joint team of security personnel, including the District Reserve Guard (DRG), launched the operation early in the morning, which resulted in a fierce gunfight with the Maoists around 7 AM. Tragically, a DRG jawan was also martyred during the exchange of fire. Security forces recovered the bodies of 18 Naxals, along with firearms and explosives, from the site.
Simultaneously, in Kanker district, a separate operation led by a joint team of Border Security Force (BSF) personnel and the state police’s DRG units led to the death of four more Naxals in a gun battle. As of the latest reports, intermittent gunfire was still being heard in the area, and the search operations are ongoing.
These operations are part of a broader effort to eliminate Naxalism in the region. Union Home Minister Amit Shah lauded the security forces for their significant success in these encounters, emphasizing that the government’s “zero tolerance” policy against Naxalites remains steadfast. Shah reiterated the government’s commitment to a “Naxal Mukt Bharat Abhiyan” (Naxal-free India), stressing that the Narendra Modi-led government would continue its relentless efforts to wipe out extremism in the country.
Apart from this, large number of automatic weapons and explosive materials have also been recovered from the spot. Search operation is still going on in the area.
