Sunday, February 8

Chhattisgarh

Gadchiroli Encounter: 25-Lakh Bounty Naxal Commander Prabhakar Killed; 7 Naxals Dead, 1 Soldier Martyred
Chhattisgarh, State

Gadchiroli Encounter: 25-Lakh Bounty Naxal Commander Prabhakar Killed; 7 Naxals Dead, 1 Soldier Martyred

GADCHIROLI: In a major breakthrough against Naxal insurgents, Maharashtra police killed seven Naxals, including the dreaded top commander Prabhakar, who carried a bounty of ₹25 lakh. The operation, carried out over three days near Fodewada village on the Maharashtra-Chhattisgarh border, saw the martyrdom of C-60 commando Deepak Chinna Madavi. Security forces recovered a significant cache of arms from the encounter site. The special anti-Maoist unit, C-60, launched the operation after receiving intelligence on Naxal movements from Chhattisgarh. The operation began on the night of 3 February. By Thursday night, the bodies of three Naxals were recovered, followed by four more on Friday, bringing the total number of casualties to seven — including four men and three women. Authorities seize...
12 Naxals Surrender in Bijapur, Weapons Handed Over, Rewards Total ₹54 Lakh
Chhattisgarh, State

12 Naxals Surrender in Bijapur, Weapons Handed Over, Rewards Total ₹54 Lakh

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: In a major development in Chhattisgarh’s Naxal-affected Bijapur district, 12 Naxal cadres surrendered to security forces on Thursday, handing over their weapons and opting to return to the mainstream. The surrendering Maoists had a combined bounty of ₹54 lakh on their heads. Weapons Seized and Cadres Integrated: Police officials confirmed that the Naxals surrendered under the ongoing ‘Poona Margem’ anti-Maoist campaign, which aims to encourage militants to abandon extremism and reintegrate into society. The surrendered cadres handed over AK-47s, SLR rifles, and ammunition to the security personnel. All belonged to the South Sub-Zonal Bureau of the Maoist network. Among the 12, there were 8 female cadres and 4 male cadres. Government’s Anti-Maoist Efforts Bea...
Top Naxal Commander Udham Singh Killed in Chhattisgarh Encounter, 22 Soldiers’ Killer Neutralized
Chhattisgarh, State

Top Naxal Commander Udham Singh Killed in Chhattisgarh Encounter, 22 Soldiers’ Killer Neutralized

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: Security forces achieved a major success in Naxal-affected Bijapur district, eliminating notorious Naxal commander Udham Singh in a gunbattle. Singh, wanted for multiple violent incidents, including the 2021 TekulGudem attack that claimed the lives of 22 security personnel, had a reward of ₹8 lakh on his head. Notorious Background: Udham Singh was a highly active commander within the DVCM Naxal outfit, responsible for Platoon No. 30 and overseeing operations in the Jagurgunda Area Committee. He was reportedly one of the masterminds behind the TekulGudem attack and was involved in planning and executing several other violent acts. The Encounter: The encounter began Thursday morning around 7:30 AM near the Chhattisgarh-Telangana border, when security forces...
Chhattisgarh High Court Rules Women Not Entitled to Alimony if Living Separately Without Just Cause
Chhattisgarh, State

Chhattisgarh High Court Rules Women Not Entitled to Alimony if Living Separately Without Just Cause

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: The Chhattisgarh High Court has delivered a landmark ruling, stating that a married woman who lives separately from her husband without any valid reason is not entitled to maintenance under Section 125 of the Criminal Procedure Code. The court emphasized that simply being married does not automatically grant a right to alimony; the conduct of both spouses must also be considered. Separation Just Four Days After Marriage: According to court documents, a woman had filed a petition seeking maintenance just four days after her wedding. She left her husband’s home, alleging dowry harassment and physical abuse, claiming that her in-laws demanded ₹10 lakh and a car as dowry. During the hearings, the husband stated that he had made multiple efforts to reconcile and r...
Chhattisgarh Cabinet Approves Formation of Anti-Drug Task Force in 10 Districts
Chhattisgarh, State

Chhattisgarh Cabinet Approves Formation of Anti-Drug Task Force in 10 Districts

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: In a major step against drug abuse, the Chhattisgarh Cabinet on Wednesday approved the creation of a dedicated Anti-Drug Task Force (ADTF) in 10 districts across the state. The cabinet also sanctioned 100 new posts for the task force. The decision was taken during a cabinet meeting chaired by Chief Minister Vishnudev Sai. The move includes the formation of district-level Anti-Drug Task Forces in Raipur, Mahasamund, Bilaspur, Durg, Bastar, Sarguja, Kabirdham, Jashpur, Rajnandgaon, and Korba. Strengthening Special Operations Group (SOG)In addition, the cabinet approved the creation of 44 new posts for the Special Operations Group (SOG) under the state police headquarters’ Special Branch. Funded under the 2025-26 budget, the SOG will be a highly trained unit respon...
Bijapur Encounter: Security Forces Clash with Naxals, One Maoist Killed
Chhattisgarh, State

Bijapur Encounter: Security Forces Clash with Naxals, One Maoist Killed

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh: A fierce encounter broke out today between security forces and Naxals in the Bijapur district of Chhattisgarh. In the operation, one Maoist was killed and explosives were recovered from his possession. According to initial reports, security personnel launched an operation in the southern region of Bijapur following intelligence inputs about the presence of armed Maoists. Both sides engaged in intermittent gunfire starting at around 7:30 AM. Teams on a Search OperationJoint security teams had set out for a search operation in southern Bijapur. During the operation, gunfire erupted between the forces and the Maoists. Security officials said the troops responded decisively to the Maoists’ attacks while continuing to search the area. One Naxal NeutralizedSo far,...
Who is Bhawna Bohra, the Pandaria MLA Who Has Facilitated the Homecoming of 265 Tribals to Sanatan Dharma
Chhattisgarh, State

Who is Bhawna Bohra, the Pandaria MLA Who Has Facilitated the Homecoming of 265 Tribals to Sanatan Dharma

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Bhawna Bohra, the MLA from Pandaria in Kabirdham district, is once again in the spotlight for organizing a Hindu religious homecoming ceremony. Recently, 65 tribal men and women returned to Sanatan Dharma in a program held in Damgarh village of the Pandaria assembly constituency. With this, MLA Bohra has facilitated the return of a total of 265 people to their original faith. Voluntary Religious Homecoming Organizers emphasized that the homecoming was entirely voluntary, aimed at providing respect and social acceptance to families returning to their original faith. Tribal families were welcomed according to traditional customs and rituals. MLA Bhawna Bohra personally honored participants by washing their feet and presented them with gifts during the ceremony. ...
Deputy Tehsildar Escapes Death as Tractor Driver Attempts to Run Him Over During Illegal Sand Mining Crackdown
Chhattisgarh, State

Deputy Tehsildar Escapes Death as Tractor Driver Attempts to Run Him Over During Illegal Sand Mining Crackdown

Bilaspur, Chhattisgarh: A Deputy Tehsildar in Bilaspur narrowly escaped death on Sunday when a tractor driver attempted to run him over while the official was cracking down on illegal sand mining. The accused driver has been arrested, and police are investigating the incident. The enforcement team had received reports of unauthorized sand extraction in the Ratanpur area. Acting on the information, Deputy Tehsildar Rahul Sahu visited the site near the river to halt the illegal activity. Upon confronting the driver, who was transporting sand in a tractor, the official instructed him to stop. In response, the driver dumped the sand and tried to flee. When Deputy Tehsildar Sahu intervened, the driver deliberately attempted to run the tractor over him. The officer narrowly escaped by jump...
Chhattisgarh to Receive ₹7,470 Crore for Railway Development; CM Sai Says Fund 24 Times Higher than UPA Era
Chhattisgarh, State

Chhattisgarh to Receive ₹7,470 Crore for Railway Development; CM Sai Says Fund 24 Times Higher than UPA Era

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai has announced that the state will receive ₹7,470 crore in the Union Budget 2026-27 for the development of railway infrastructure, marking a historic increase compared to previous allocations. Speaking to the media on Monday, CM Sai noted that this amount is nearly 24 times higher than the average allocation of ₹311 crore during the 2009-2014 UPA government. CM Expresses Gratitude to PM Modi CM Sai expressed his gratitude to Prime Minister Narendra Modi and Railway Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw, attributing the significant improvement in the state’s railway sector to the consistent efforts of the “dual-engine government” at both the Centre and the state. He highlighted that projects worth ₹51,080 crore are currently underway ...
Budget 2026: CM Vishnudeo Sai Hails Centre’s Budget, Highlights Benefits for Chhattisgarh
Chhattisgarh, Politics, State

Budget 2026: CM Vishnudeo Sai Hails Centre’s Budget, Highlights Benefits for Chhattisgarh

Raipur, Chhattisgarh: Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnudeo Sai praised the Union Budget 2026-27 presented by Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman in Parliament on Sunday, calling it a historic document aimed at India’s golden and developed future. According to CM Sai, the budget will provide direct benefits to states like Chhattisgarh and foster inclusive growth across the country. The budget emphasizes three key objectives: accelerating economic growth and employment, meeting the expectations of the public, and ensuring the principle of “Sabka Saath, Sabka Vikas” (Collective Effort, Inclusive Growth). Boost to Farmers’ Income CM Sai highlighted that the budget includes several measures to increase farmers’ income and strengthen the rural economy. Initiatives include improving agr...