17 Naxals shot, 4 security men injured in Sukma encounter

As many as 17 Naxals, including 11 women, were gunned down while four security personnel sustained minor injuries in an encounter that broke out in Chhattisgarh’s Sukma district early on Saturday.

The incident comes on the eve of Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the state where he is slated to unveil development projects worth over Rs 33,700 crore. A joint team of the District Reserve Guard (DRG) and the CRPF had launched a search operation in Kerlapal on Friday following inputs about the presence of Naxals, said officials.

A gunfight broke out between the security personnel and Naxals, killing 17 cadres, including high-ranking Maoist Kuhdami Jagdish who carried a bounty of Rs 25 lakh on his head. “Jagdish was wanted in more than a dozen deadly Naxal incidents, including the 2013 Jhiram Valley attack that left several Congress leaders dead,” said sources.

Home Minister Amit Shah hailed the operation, saying change couldn’t be brought about by violence, but through peace and development. He said the government was committed to eradicating Naxalism before March 31, 2026.