In a joint operation conducted by security forces and police personnel from Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada districts, at least seven Maoists were killed in a gunfight in a forest near Chhattisgarh’s Narayanpur district.
The operation, aimed at combating Maoist insurgency, led to the recovery of seven weapons and other materials from the scene. The identities of the deceased Maoists are yet to be confirmed, as the encounter continued well into the evening.
As per the officials familiar with the matter, the exchange of fire began around 11 am in the forest bordering Bijapur and Narayanpur district. The operation targeted leaders of Platoon number 16 of CPI (Maoist) and members of the Indrawati Area Committee.
A joint team comprising the District Reserve Guard (DRG) of Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada, along with the Special Task Force (STF), initiated the anti-Naxal operation based on specific intelligence inputs.
The operation unfolded in the dense Abujhmaad forest, situated at the tri-junction of Narayanpur, Bastar, and Dantewada districts. Two Maoist bodies were initially recovered by the Narayanpur police, with additional bodies and weapons discovered later in the day by the Dantewada police.
While the exact grade of weapons seized is yet to be determined, a total of seven weapons have been recovered from the encounter site.
Abujhmaad forest, colloquially known as the ‘unknown hill,’ spans approximately 6,000 square kilometers and has remained largely unexplored since the British colonial era. It has become a stronghold for Maoist activities, with several senior cadres of the Communist Party of Bharat (Maoist) reportedly still operating within its depths.
This recent encounter adds to the tally of Maoist casualties this year, with 112 militants having been neutralized in separate encounters by security forces and state police. The significant increase in Maoist fatalities compared to the previous year, where only 22 Maoists were killed, underscores the ongoing efforts to quell insurgency in the region.
Authorities remain vigilant as they continue to tackle the persistent Maoist threat in Chhattisgarh and surrounding areas.
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