Two Naxalites Killed in Encounter with Security Forces in Chhattisgarh’s Bijapur; AK-47 and Explosives Recovered

Bijapur, Chhattisgarh:
In a major success against Left-Wing Extremism, security forces on Thursday killed two armed Naxalites during an encounter in the forested region of Bijapur district, police officials said.

The exchange of fire took place early Thursday morning when a team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) launched a search operation based on intelligence inputs about the presence of armed Maoists in the southern part of the district. According to officials, the firing began around 7 a.m. after the Naxalites attempted to attack the security personnel.

The security forces retaliated, leading to a fierce gun battle in which two Maoists were neutralized. From the encounter site, the bodies of the slain Naxalites were recovered along with one AK-47 rifle, one 9mm pistol, other weapons, and a large quantity of explosives.

Senior officials confirmed that the area has been cordoned off and intensive search operations are still underway to trace possible remaining cadres and recover additional arms or materials.

With this operation, the total number of Maoists killed in various encounters in Chhattisgarh this year has risen to at least 22. Earlier, on January 3, security forces eliminated 14 Maoists in two separate encounters across the Bastar region, including Bijapur and six other districts.

Authorities further stated that during the past one year alone, as many as 285 Maoists have been killed in encounters across the state, reflecting intensified anti-Naxal operations.

The Central Government has set a deadline of March 31 this year to completely eradicate Left-Wing Extremism from the country, and security forces have significantly stepped up coordinated operations in the affected regions.