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Bhopal: In a major blow to Naxal insurgency in Madhya Pradesh, four hardcore Maoists — including three women — were gunned down in a fierce encounter in the Pachamadadar-Katejhiria forest of Balaghat district on Saturday. Acting on intelligence inputs, a joint team of the Hawk Force, district police, and CRPF launched a coordinated cordon and search operation from the night of June 13 to 14 under the GRB division — the only Naxal-affected zone in the state, police said. Chief Minister Mohan Yadav congratulated the security personnel for their courage and swift action. He announced that officers showing exceptional bravery in anti-Naxal operations would be honoured and promoted. “This successful encounter is a testament to the determination of our forces. Naxals are a threat to our tribal communities and the state’s peace. They must surrender or they will be eliminated,” he warned.
Yadav reaffirmed that Madhya Pradesh is committed to eliminating Naxalism by March 2026 as part of the nationwide strategy led by Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Union Home Minister Amit Shah. “We stand shoulder to shoulder with the Central leadership in building a Naxal-free India,” he said. The Maoists, affiliated with the MMC Zone (Madhya Pradesh–Maharashtra–Chhattisgarh) of the GRB division, opened indiscriminate fire in an attempt to ambush security personnel and loot weapons. The forces responded with measured counterfire, resulting in the deaths of four Naxals, including one male and three female operatives, said MP DGP Kailash Makwana. Security forces recovered a cache of arms and ammunition, including a rocket launcher, an SLR rifle, two .315 bore rifles, a grenade launcher, walkie-talkies, multiple rounds of ammunition, and Naxal literature. This is the tenth Maoist killing in the state this year — the highest annual tally so far.