29 Naxalites killed in Chhattisgarh
Kanker: In a significant operation ahead of Chhattisgarh’s initial polling phase, 29 Naxalites, including key leaders, were neutralised by security forces in the Kanker district on Tuesday, marking the state’s largest encounter to date, according to police reports.
This event represents the most substantial single-encounter loss for the Naxalites in Chhattisgarh’s ongoing battle against Left Wing Extremism. Since the beginning of 2024, the Bastar region, known as a Maoist bastion, has witnessed the elimination of 79 Naxalites in various confrontations with security forces.
The clash also resulted in injuries to three security personnel, and an extensive array of weaponry was seized at the location, officials disclosed.
Vijay Sharma, the Deputy Chief Minister overseeing the home department, commended the operation as a decisive “surgical strike” and a significant victory, attributing the success to the valour of the security forces.
The confrontation occurred around 2 pm in the Hapatola forest, situated between Binagunda and Koronar villages within the jurisdiction of the Chhotebethiya police station. A combined detachment of the Border Security Force (BSF) and the state’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) was conducting an anti-Naxalite mission, stated Sundarraj P, the Inspector General of Police for the Bastar Range. The mission was initiated following intelligence on the presence of top figures from the north Bastar division
of the banned CPI (Maoist) group, including Shankar, Lalita, Raju, among others.
As the patrol progressed, a fierce exchange of fire ensued, reported the senior IPS officer.
“The remains of 29 Maoists and a substantial arsenal, comprising AK-47s, SLRs, Insas rifles, and .303 rifles, were recovered from the site,” declared the IG.
The Bastar Lok Sabha constituency, affected by Naxalite activity, is scheduled for polling on April 19 in the first phase, while the Kanker constituency, also part of the Bastar region, will cast votes in the second phase of the general elections on April 26.
Search operations continued in the vicinity, Sundarraj confirmed.
He further noted that the three wounded security personnel were in stable condition and were being transported to Raipur for medical care.
While the identities of the deceased Naxalites remain unconfirmed, it is presumed that senior members of the CPI (Maoist)’s north Bastar division were among the casualties, added Sundarraj.
The Ministry of Home Affairs (MHA) reported that two BSF inspectors and one DRG soldier sustained injuries during the encounter.
“The operation commenced on the evening of April 15, based on multiple reports of Maoist activity in Binagunda and surrounding areas. Five pieces of intelligence were shared, two of which pinpointed the exact location of the North Bastar division committee of Maoists in Binagunda, indicating it had served as a permanent Maoist encampment since April 5,” they stated.
Shankar and Lalita, both divisional committee members from the north Bastar division of Maoists, are believed to be among the deceased, the sources added.
Following this latest clash, the total number of Naxalites neutralised in separate encounters with security forces in the seven-district Bastar region, including Kanker, has reached 79 for the current year.
Earlier, on April 2, 13 Naxalites were killed, and on March 27, six Maoists were neutralised in encounters with security forces in the Bijapur district.
Deputy CM Sharma, referring to the operation as a “surgical strike” against Naxalism by the Bastar police, remarked, “For the first time in anti-Naxal operations, security forces achieved complete dominance in direct combat, leaving no opportunity for the Naxalites to regroup.”
He expressed a desire for dialogue with the Naxalites, whether collectively or through representatives, emphasising the need for peace in Bastar and the government’s commitment to achieving it.
The operation took place in the Abujmarh area, a known Maoist stronghold spanning the southern part of Kanker district and the northern part of the adjacent Narayanpur district, where the 29 Naxalites were eliminated, Sharma explained.
He attributed the success of the
operation to the fortitude and bravery of the soldiers, noting the guidance of Union Home Minister Amit Shah and the leadership of Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai.
Sharma highlighted that the operation has bolstered the morale of the security forces and pointed out the positive developments on the anti-Naxal front since the ‘double engine’ government (BJP in power at both the Centre and the state) assumed office in Chhattisgarh.
He emphasised the establishment of new security camps within Naxalite strongholds in the Bastar region as part of a strategic effort to eradicate the threat.
In the past four months, approximately 80 Naxalites have been neutralised in various encounters with security forces, Sharma added.
Reaffirming the government’s dedication to restoring peace in Bastar, Sharma underscored the importance of providing the region’s inhabitants with clean drinking water, electricity, and the benefits of development.with agency inputs
