The gunfight began around 1 PM in the Abhujmaad forest, located along the border of Narayanpur and Dantewada districts
In one of the largest operations against Maoists in Chhattisgarh, at least 28 Naxalites were killed in an encounter with security personnel in the Bastar region on Friday.
The gunfight began around 1 pm in the forest between Thulthuli and Nendur villages in Abhujmaad, located on the Narayanpur-Dantewada inter-district border, when a joint team of security personnel was out on anti-Naxal operation, Inspector General of Police (Bastar Range) Sundarraj P told news agency PTI.
The IGP further said that personnel from the state police’s District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) were involved in the operation.
Additionally, a cache of weapons, including an AK-47 and a self-loading rifle (SLR), was recovered from the encounter site.
Following the latest encounter, security forces have now killed at least 185 Maoists in various gun battles across the Bastar region, which includes seven districts such as Dantewada and Narayanpur, this year, according to the police.
On April 16, 29 Naxalites, including some higher-ranking cadres, were killed in a confrontation with security personnel in Kanker district.
‘Great success achieved’: Chhattisgarh CM
Soon after reports of the maoist killings emerged, Chhattisgarh Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai commended the security forces for their efforts.
The chief minister has also called for a high-level meeting of senior police officers at his residence in Raipur on Friday evening.
“This great success achieved by the soldiers is commendable. I salute their courage and indomitable bravery,” Deo wrote in a post on X.
नारायणपुर-दंतेवाड़ा जिले के सीमावर्ती क्षेत्र में सुरक्षाबल के जवानों की नक्सलियों के साथ हुई मुठभेड़ में 28 नक्सलियों के मारे जाने की खबर है।जवानों को मिली यह बड़ी कामयाबी सराहनीय है। उनके हौसले और अदम्य साहस को नमन करता हूं।
नक्सलवाद के खात्मे के लिए शुरू हुई हमारी लड़ाई अब…
— Vishnu Deo Sai (@vishnudsai) October 4, 2024
“Our fight to end Naxalism will now rest only after reaching its conclusion, our double engine government is determined for this. Our aim is to eliminate Naxalism from the state,” he added.
On Thursday, the security forces dismantled a Naxalite camp in Sukma district, also in the Bastar region, after an encounter. They recovered a large cache of explosives and other materials during the operation.
Personnel from the District Reserve Guard (DRG), Bastar Fighters, and District Force, alongside the 206th, 208th, 204th, and 203rd battalions of CoBRA (Commando Battalion for Resolute Action), an elite unit of the CRPF, were involved in yesterday’s operation.
(With inputs from agencies)
