Three more bodies of Naxalites were discovered on Saturday morning in the Bastar region of Chhattisgarh, raising the death toll from Friday’s intense gunfight with security forces to 31. The encounter, which occurred in the dense forests between Dantewada and Narayanpur districts, involved a joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and Special Task Force (STF) on an anti-Naxal mission. The intermittent gunfire started around 1 am and continued through the day, while search operations are still ongoing in the area.
Inspector General of Police (Bastar range) Sundarraj P confirmed that the Naxalites likely belonged to the PLGA company No. 6, Platoon 16, and the Maoist East Bastar division. Along with the bodies, the security forces recovered an assortment of weapons, including an AK-47, an INSAS rifle, an SLR, an LMG, and a .303 rifle. This encounter marks the highest number of Maoist casualties in a single operation in Chhattisgarh since the state’s formation 24 years ago. It follows another major anti-Naxal operation earlier this year in Kanker district, where 29 Maoists were killed.
Chief Minister Vishnu Deo Sai praised the operation, asserting that the state, with support from the central government, remains committed to eradicating the Naxal threat. According to police, 188 Maoists have been killed in various encounters across the Bastar region in 2024 alone. This latest offensive underscores the government’s continued efforts to bring peace and stability to the region, which has long been plagued by Naxalite insurgency.
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